root seems to be seriously impaired

[BobB2]

I apparently discovered that setting a command line editor in ksh may have killed much of the root funtionality on openserver 5.04. There are several problems but the most obvious is ls works but ls -l hangs the session. Strangly if I go into /opt ls -l works unless I try to do it against /, /etc, /usr, and likely others. More, vi, ed, also won't work anywhere and again hang the system. man typically displats the first line of the file and hangs.

If anyone can point me in the right direction to deal with this it would be truly wonderfull.

I inherited this system and need to get it back on the map so I can strip the data to a new system and version of the OS and the application. Much to my horror it appears that they haven't had a successful backup for a long time as the tape drive appears to be U/S and from what I can see the backup script doesn't do verification let alone produce a notice of failure anywhere.

Thanks for any assistance.....

Bob

 

[PHV]

What is the ouput of this command ?
find / -name '-l'

Hope This Helps, PH.
FAQ219-2884
FAQ181-2886

 

[motoslide]

I'm not sure I follow your initial statment:

I apparently discovered that setting a command line editor in ksh...

The system can "hang" for different reasons, including filesystem corruption on an "ls" command. Is there anything helpful being logged to /usr/adm/syslog or /usr/adm/messages?

What is your TERM variable and stty settings?

Just fishing for more information at this point.

"Proof that there is intelligent life in Oregon. Well, Life anyway.

 

[BobB2]

180# find / -name '-l'
181#

There was a delay of about 90 seconds between the <Enter> and the new prompt

Thanks.... Bob

 

[BobB2]

motoslide

Although it may not be related the only thing I did before the session where the whells came off was to do a "set -o vi" to specify the ksh command editor.

Since I cannot more, fail, or cat it isn't possible to view those files (I just end up with a flashing cursor until I close and reopen the terminal session) so I haven't a clue

TERM=vt100

PID TTY TIME CMD
3925 ttyp14 00:00:00 login
3926 ttyp14 00:00:00 ksh
3964 ttyp14 00:00:00 ps

For the sake of clarity all other users work fine. Mind you you can't su to a usefull session either.......

Thanks.... Bob

 

[BobB2]

motoslide

as per your request:
ps
PID TTY TIME CMD
6062 ttyp13 00:00:00 login
6063 ttyp13 00:00:00 ksh
6098 ttyp13 00:00:00 ps
218# cd /opt/btmp
219# man ttyp
man: ttyp not found
220# stty -a
speed 38400 baud; ispeed 38400 baud; ospeed 38400 baud; line = 0(tty);
rows = 60; columns = 120; ypixels = 0; xpixels = 0;
intr = DEL; quit = ^\; erase = ^H; kill = ^U; eof = ^D; eol = ^@;
swtch = <undef>; susp = ^Z; start = ^Q; stop = ^S;
-parenb -parodd cs8 -cstopb hupcl cread -clocal -loblk
-ortsfl -ctsflow -rtsflow
-ignbrk brkint ignpar -parmrk -inpck istrip -inlcr -igncr icrnl -iuclc
ixon ixany -ixoff
isig icanon -xcase echo -echoe echok -echonl -noflsh
-iexten -tostop -xclude
opost -olcuc onlcr -ocrnl -onocr -onlret -ofill -ofdel tab3
-isscancode
221#

Thanks.... Bob

 

[motoslide]

Do you have the same symptoms if you operate from the console?

The only thing I see which seems a bit odd is the stty "rows" and "columns" values. These tend to hang around once set. I'd try resetting those just to see if your symptoms change. You can always put them back.

# stty rows 0 columns 0

I'm unfamiliar with using "set -o vi" as you stated. The next time you get HUNG, go to a different session and display all the processes running on your HUNG session.




"Proof that there is intelligent life in Oregon. Well, Life anyway.

 

[BobB2]

Well I downloaded a boot disk and accessed the drive that way and reworked the .profile as it appeared to be damaged. once I did that most things started working....

Actually it turns out everything works but a few things won't due to the vertical app that runs on it has a terminfo data base the is in the path before the real one and the silly thing apparently has no VT100 entry. Hello?

I will parse it an figure out what it does support and maybe add the vt100

WTF were they thinking?

Thanks for your help as it helped get me over a "Beats Me" moment. Out here in the sticks there aren't many bodies around to bounce stuff off...

Bob