So, I recently reinstalled CentOS-6.6 on a machine that was already running just fine; but I had to reimage several workstations because of some work related tasks.
Anyway, after reimaging with a known good kickstart file (and with the only root password I ever used in that environment) I discovered I could no longer login locally as root:
1. not into the GUI on the console, or
2. not even the text login screen works for the root password.
So, I rebooted the machine thinking that maybe somehow I forgot the root password, using the GRUB password, booting to single-user mode, and then executing the passwd command at the shell prompt provided. I was prompted for the New password, and the Confirm password with no issues (the second time, because I typoed the first time).
I rebooted, thinking OK, I can now log into the system from the GUI or the Text login page, but it still didn't work. Can someone suggest a place I can look as to why this is happening? I haven't looked at /var/log/messages yet. Would that be helpful?
Thanks,
[SOLVED] root password at GUI and Text login fail
- warron.french
- Posts: 616
- Joined: 2014/03/27 20:21:58
[SOLVED] root password at GUI and Text login fail
Last edited by warron.french on 2016/03/09 22:19:23, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks,
War
War
- AlanBartlett
- Forum Moderator
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Re: root password at GUI and Text login fail
Please take a look at the output returned by executing man 5 securetty
I wonder if the file /etc/securetty does not have the relevant entry for the system console?
This is what that file contains on my RHEL6 system --
[Duo2 ~]$ sudo cat /etc/securetty
console
vc/1
vc/2
vc/3
vc/4
vc/5
vc/6
vc/7
vc/8
vc/9
vc/10
vc/11
tty1
tty2
tty3
tty4
tty5
tty6
tty7
tty8
tty9
tty10
tty11
[Duo2 ~]$
I wonder if the file /etc/securetty does not have the relevant entry for the system console?
This is what that file contains on my RHEL6 system --
[Duo2 ~]$ sudo cat /etc/securetty
console
vc/1
vc/2
vc/3
vc/4
vc/5
vc/6
vc/7
vc/8
vc/9
vc/10
vc/11
tty1
tty2
tty3
tty4
tty5
tty6
tty7
tty8
tty9
tty10
tty11
[Duo2 ~]$
100% Linux and, previously, Unix. Co-founder of the ELRepo Project.
- warron.french
- Posts: 616
- Joined: 2014/03/27 20:21:58
Re: root password at GUI and Text login fail
Thanks Alan, I did write a security script that would clean that file up, but not wipe those out-- so as a precaution.. I will see if my script failed somehow and perhaps is preventing me from logging in.
Thanks for the 'lesson on fishing,' that is what I was looking for too.
Thanks for the 'lesson on fishing,' that is what I was looking for too.
Thanks,
War
War
- warron.french
- Posts: 616
- Joined: 2014/03/27 20:21:58
Re: root password at GUI and Text login fail
The solution for me on this issue; to close out this thread was that auditd wasn't starting properly, and that was preventing the root account from being accessible at any runlevel > 1.
So, I copied back into place the /etc/audit/auditd.conf and /etc/audit/audit.rules files from the backups I had created before ever making system changes.
Now THAT's a SA101 course requirement.
So, I copied back into place the /etc/audit/auditd.conf and /etc/audit/audit.rules files from the backups I had created before ever making system changes.
Now THAT's a SA101 course requirement.
Thanks,
War
War