Why does RHEL not boot to a proper shell under single user mode ?
 

After editing the kernel options with the added word 'single' , the system reboots to a command line interface.

But with RHEL, it always boots to [root@noname /]# . This has no passwd command ability to change passwords. I've to add init=/bin/bash in the kernel options for RHEL to boot correctly to sh.

But when I try the same steps with Fedora, it immediately boots to sh-3.1# which has the passwd command ability to change passwords.

Why does RHEL behave differently ?

Thanks =)

Changing passwords doesn't have anything to do with what shell you use but with mount points (where applicable) and the location of the tools: if /sbin and /usr/sbin are outside the default path then you must prefix the full path.

Oh thanks, is the default path you are referring to the $PATH ?

this will help you,
http://www.itworld.com/operating-sys...tcinittab-file

And just FYI that is a 'proper' shell. Without a shell at all, you'd be unable to do anything. The apparent differences you show is in the prompt only, and we can tell nothing else from there. It could be as simple as RHEL sets a prompt in single user mode, and Fedora does not.