authentication failed repeat message on login screen

[cfinwolfe]

Hey all,

This is urgent. We just moved offices and I have an FTP server that's running on CentOS 5.5 the server was working fine before the move, but now when I turn it on it comes up to the login page with "..." in the user name area and just keeps repeating the "Authentication failed" message. I did some searching and it looks like this has happened to a few ubuntu systems:

http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-379593.html
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=3605925

As I am a Linux novice I am not totally able to decipher what is being said.

I also tried the ctrl+alt+F1 and when I try to login to the command line it says incorrect login for root or any user. After repeated tries it locks the system for 5 minutes...

I have downloaded the live CD (CentOS 5.1) to try and correct the pam files, as suggested in the links above, but I am totally lost.

HELP!!!! Please!

[cfinwolfe]

Really? No one is willing to help me on this one :(

[cfinwolfe]

Back to the top... I really need help on this.

[AlanBartlett]

I can't give you explicit advice, only general.

(1) boot from the installation media into rescue mode ([b]linux rescue[/b] at the boot prompt)
(2) select language and keyboard, if prompted
(3) allow it to mount the root partition of your file system from your hard disk(s) (what ever it./they may be)
(4) chroot to your hard disk root
(5) passwd root and change the root password
(6) exit
(7) reboot from hard disk(s)
(8) give it a key combination
(9) try the textual login as root with the new root password

As you can see, I can only give you general hints.

Any other Community Members now willing to jump in and give the OP some more advice?
[b]Ned, toracat, Lenard, Gerald[/b] - here's your chance. Have I missed anything? :roll:

Alan.

[gerald_clark]

You moved. The authentication server is not on your local network.
Have your Sysadmin reconfigure your workstations and routers so that the
Authentication server can be found.

[michaelnel]

[quote]
I have an FTP server that's running on CentOS 5.5
[/quote]

That version doesn't exist. What version are you really running?

[quote]the server was working fine before the move, but now when I turn it on it comes up to the login page with "..." in the user name area and just keeps repeating the "Authentication failed" message.[/quote]

What ftp server software is running?

[quote]I also tried the ctrl+alt+F1 and when I try to login to the command line it says incorrect login for root or any user. After repeated tries it locks the system for 5 minutes...[/quote]

This appears to be an overall auth problem then, and the ftp server is just one of the victims.

[NedSlider]

[quote]
gerald_clark wrote:
You moved. The authentication server is not on your local network.
Have your Sysadmin reconfigure your workstations and routers so that the
Authentication server can be found.[/quote]

Good call - I never would have thought of a separate authentication server!

[cfinwolfe]

Well we're a SOHO company, the only boxes we have are a system running XP for file sharing in the intranet, and this Linux Box.

I'm the sole computer/tech person in the company, I set everything up as close to the original configuration as I could (the only thing that's not working is the VPN, but you guys have responded more than the guys over linksysinfo.org)

I guess its 5 (I'm not sure of the exact version, but it was the latest one about 6 months ago)

I'm using vsftpd.

I will be in the location of the server on the 21-24 so I have 2.5 days to get it done.

[foxb]

Did you try advice in post #4

This will help you to reset root password, but this is really strange that you cannot login at terminal. Do not forget to check for possible rootkits after you login.

[cfinwolfe]

Not sure what a rootkit is.

I will be flying to the location of the server shortly, I will try that as soon as I get there.