Connected to serial, but login fails with "Not on system console" 1

[mrmac228]

Hi,

Just reconfiguring a V240 after it was moved. I've connected a serial cable to the serial port on the back and brought the system up. System boots ok but when I try and login with the correct root password I get the "Not on system console" message displayed after typing in the password i.e.

console login: root
Password:
Not on system console

I've used the cable and hyperterm to reconfig other servers so know its not that. I've also check env commands at the ok prompt with other servers and they look ok. Anyone any ideas as to what the problem could be?

Many thanks

Ken

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by - Douglas Adams

 

[KenCunningham]

Ken - can you get in at all? If so, check the CONSOLE= entry in the /etc/default/login file is commented out.

Sorry if this is teaching Granny to suck eggs, but I can't think of anything else it could be.

I want to be good, is that not enough?

 

[SamBones]

Just some suggestions...

If there's both an A and a B port, make sure you are plugged into the A port.

If there's a graphics card and/or keyboard, the serial port on the back may not be the console. Either attach something to those or remove them.

Maybe get to the "[tt]ok[/tt]" prompt and do a [tt]printenv[/tt] and [tt]devalias[/tt] to see what your console is defined as. I'm not sure what to look for here, but it might give you a clue.

 

[mrmac228]

It would appear that the systems have been 'hardened' and the only way to login to root was via another user and su from there. I spent some time trying to find someone who used the server previously to be able to get this information. I finally logged in and as suggested by Ken (and I would have anyway )checked the contents of the login file to find that CONSOLE was set to '/dev/null' (I've never seen this used as a method of disabling console access before but it would appear to be quite effective!)

So a star to Ken for suggesting to 'get in' some other way and thanks to SamBones for his input.

Ken

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by - Douglas Adams