Not going to admit how it happened and will just say this, I am not a Unix
admin, just network and Unix friendly. So, with that said, how can I fix
/etc/passwd when root has an invalid shell? I can't log in or su to root
anymore.

Thanks all,

Ron Hagerman

Wish I could.
I have no CDROM or floppy on the box.
This is an old SPARC 20 from work and I got the box, keyboard and mouse.


"C. Newport" <crn@NOSPAM.netunix.com> wrote in message
news:3092714.r2pRWi4lfr@callisto...
> On Monday 11 August 2003 1:27 am in comp.sys.sun.admin Phoenix wrote:
>
> > Not going to admit how it happened and will just say this, I am not a
Unix
> > admin, just network and Unix friendly. So, with that said, how can I fix
> > /etc/passwd when root has an invalid shell? I can't log in or su to
root
> > anymore.
>
> boot -s from cdrom
> mount your root slice on /a
> vi /a/etc/passwd and set root's default shell back to /sbin/sh

On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 01:37:14 +0000, Rebecca Ore wrote:

> "Phoenix" <me@here.com> writes:

> Do you have another machine that you can use to console in and boot
> single user?

What makes you think that will work with the OS which probably on an SS20?
And if it is Solaris 9, it would hardly be necessary to use a serial
terminal.

In article <bh6p5r$otv$1@eskinews.eskimo.com>, "Phoenix" <me@here.com>
wrote:

> Wish I could.
> I have no CDROM or floppy on the box.
> This is an old SPARC 20 from work and I got the box, keyboard and mouse.
>
> "C. Newport" <crn@NOSPAM.netunix.com> wrote in message
> news:3092714.r2pRWi4lfr@callisto...
> > On Monday 11 August 2003 1:27 am in comp.sys.sun.admin Phoenix wrote:
> >
> > > Not going to admit how it happened and will just say this, I am not a Unix
> > > admin, just network and Unix friendly. So, with that said, how can I fix
> > > /etc/passwd when root has an invalid shell? I can't log in or su to root
> > > anymore.
> >
> > boot -s from cdrom
> > mount your root slice on /a
> > vi /a/etc/passwd and set root's default shell back to /sbin/sh

Unless you have Solaris 9, you're out of luck. Solaris 9 has a great
new "oops" feature that allows root to still login if the shell in
/etc/passwd is invalid. If you have an earlier version of Solaris, your
only recourse is to change this file, which you must be root to do so.

You have a couple options:

1) buy or borrow CDROM and use a Solaris CD to do the above mount/vi

2) setup Jumpstart on another Solaris system and boot your system via
the net to install a new system, exit from the install, and mount/vi.

3) remove the system disk from box and put it into a similar system you
have and do the mount/vi thing.

4) use it to test the local gravitational constant at the top of a
really tall building.

Without a CD or media, you have a doorstop.

--
DeeDee, don't press that button! DeeDee! NO! Dee...

Dave Uhring wrote:

> I'm sure that Josh McKee has an answer for the problem. He is the one who
> insists that changing root's shell never has such unpleasant consequences.

You're very observant, Dave. I'm sure Josh does have a solution but,
for the life of me, I've never seen him post one. Have you? Perhaps
that other clown, what's his name ... Roger something or other, might
have one.

-am © 2003

On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 00:29:34 -0500,
Dave Uhring <daveuhring@yahoo.com>, in
<pan.2003.08.11.05.29.34.808338@yahoo.com> wrote:
+> On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 22:10:54 -0700, "Michael Vilain <vilai wrote:
+>
+> > Without a CD or media, you have a doorstop.
+>
+> I'm sure that <DELETIA> has an answer for the problem. He is the one who
+> insists that changing root's shell never has such unpleasant consequences.

Oh, great, now he'll come and berate us for our inflexibility...you
just had to mention that name, didn't you?

James
--
Consulting Minister for Consultants, DNRC
I can please only one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow
isn't looking good, either.
I am BOFH. Resistance is futile. Your network will be assimilated.

On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 01:37:26 +0100, Hugh O'Hare wrote:

> ftp
Only on an insecure system

--

Bruce
################################################## ####
# The internet is a huge and diverse community and #
# not every one is friendly" #
# http://www.ytc1.co.uk #
################################################## ####

On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 07:58:10 -0500, Dave Uhring <daveuhring@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 18:50:24 +1000, Anthony Mandic wrote:
>
>> You're very observant, Dave. I'm sure Josh does have a solution but,
>> for the life of me, I've never seen him post one. Have you? Perhaps
>> that other clown, what's his name ... Roger something or other, might
>> have one.
>
>Not observant at all. I just remember why I killfiled that fool.

What a bunch of children you two are. Let it go guys. We have a
disagreement over something. I know that you didn't like having been
proven wrong but act like adults and move on.

Josh

On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 12:31:16 +0000, I R A Darth Aggie wrote:

> Oh, great, now he'll come and berate us for our inflexibility...you
> just had to mention that name, didn't you?

Hmmm, I thought it was perfectly on topic since nobody else knows how to
get out of that problem without a CD-ROM, net boot or moving the root
drive to another SPARC system. The expert should lend his superior
knowledge. Unfortunately I won't see it since the kill file works.

In article <mdafjvs63s1el1f8j7v0hqdklub1389s6o@4ax.com>,
jtmckee@rmac.net says...
> On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 07:58:10 -0500, Dave Uhring <daveuhring@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> >On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 18:50:24 +1000, Anthony Mandic wrote:
> >
> >> You're very observant, Dave. I'm sure Josh does have a solution but,
> >> for the life of me, I've never seen him post one. Have you? Perhaps
> >> that other clown, what's his name ... Roger something or other, might
> >> have one.
> >
> >Not observant at all. I just remember why I killfiled that fool.
>
> What a bunch of children you two are.

Shut up, Josh, you jackoff.