respawn too rapidly message 1

[mgfan]

SCO 5.0.5. Has been running fine for 5 years. In the last 6 to 8 months I have startted getting INIT: Command is respawning too rapidly. Check for possible errors.
id: Se1A "/etc/getty tty1A 7"

I have searched the Sco.com knowledge base and have checked the getty defs. they look fine. I have checked inittab for duplicate entries, and it looks fine.

I do note that tty1A is the modem and I only get the message when the modem is powered on. I am guessing this is a hardware problem with the modem. Is there anything else I need to check?

 

[motoslide]

I think you've already diagnosed the problem. The modem is either transmitting garbage (hardware failure), or has been set to echo commands, and therefore sends the "login" prompt back to tty1A, which then asks for a "password", which is also echoed right back. That process loops until the system complains that it can't keep up.

See if you can disable "command echo" and "result codes" in the modem's internal configuration.

 

[edfair]

On an earlier version of Unix, if I recall correctly, I put init to sleep for 5 seconds or so to resolve an identical problem.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[sysfact]

How to u do that - putting init 2 sleep ? and when and where can we do it i.e putting 2 sleep

regds

sys_fact

 

[edfair]

I appended a "sleep 5" line at the end of inittab. Don't recall the effects or problems but it resolved whatever I was fighting with a respawn error.
This was a long time ago, somewhere between a midage Xenix and an early 3.2v4.2. I don't know if there is a change in how inittab processes with current systems.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[mgfan]

Well, it is definately the mode. I just entered terminal mode so I could check the modem settings and I got a solid stream of U's as soon as I entered terminal mode. I am using an external modem and I am getting the big run around trying to get another on. Anyway, I believe mystery solved.

 

[edfair]

If you are saying that you disabled tty1A, enabled tty1a, and hooked a terminal on it, then you have a problem on the serial port, or something is running that is dumping to it.
The only thing you should see is the OS splash line and login prompt.
What happens if you leave the terminal connected at login and disable the port? Should be nothing. If anything shows up it is being dumped there, the uart is bad or the line driver is bad.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.