Cannot write to /var/tmp/utmpx

[justusp]

After a power loss the Sun V480 cannot boot. Gets stuck at the run state prompt. Cannot break out of it. Can anyone help?

 

[alray]

Had this same problem yesterday, system was highlighting problems with the /var filesystem and suggesting that fsck needed to be run against it. Did this and everything came up OK.

HTH

Ray

 

[justusp]

Thanks for the suggestion. I would fsck it but I cannot get to an OK prompt or single user prompt. It is stuck at the run state questions of 0-6 S (single user) question. No answer I put in, 0-6 or S works. Any idea how to get to an OK prompt after encountering this impasse?
I really appreciate your help.

 

[alray]

I tried all of those as well and nothing happened, in the end I tried the "reboot" command and that rebooted the server. On the way up it detects the problem with /var and tells you what fsck to run. You then get the opportunity to enter maintenance mode and run the fsck manually.

Ray

 

[justusp]

Thanks Al. Couldn't get to the OK prompt. We rebooted on CDROM and reloaded the OS. We theorized that some systems files were copied over along with data files from the old sending server to the new server (one having the problem) during the prep phase. We are replacing an older server with a new one (same OS version)and that is why we were getting that error. After the complete re-install of the OS on the new server all is fine now and it boots!

Thanks for your suggestions.

Pam