user cannot log in "Authentication Failed" Fedora Core 4

clayharryman · 08-03-2005, 12:05 PM

I am running Fedora Core 4 as my main system. I am able to log in as root (that's who I am right now), but I cannot log in with my regular id. I've made sure the password is reset, but I keep receiving "Authentication Failed".

Forgive my ignorance, I'm used to Windows and don't know where to look for the logs.

Thanks,
Clay

Update:
I added a user 'clay' and set the password. Same thing with a new user.

Capt_Caveman · 08-03-2005, 02:38 PM

Any idea of what happened to your original user account? You system logs will likely be in /var/log/ , with /var/log/secure and /var/log/messages being a good place to start looking.

clayharryman · 08-03-2005, 07:30 PM

In /var/log/messages, I see (among thousands of other entries) the following:

Code:

Aug  2 18:58:37 localhost gdm[3384]: pam_ldap: ldap_simple_bind Can't contact LDAP server
Aug  2 18:58:38 localhost gdm[3384]: Couldn't set acct. mgmt for userid-omitted

This would be after a power failure while I was logged in. It was locked up, so I cycled power. I didn't try to log in until this morning.

I'm not aware of having LDAP installed. How would I reset this?

Q: if there's an authentication problem, through LDAP, why wouldn't it affect ROOT?

Adios,
Clay

Capt_Caveman · 08-03-2005, 11:18 PM

It looks like gdm (Gnome display manager) is trying to authenticate to a remote LDAP server for some reason. It may just be a per user thing involving GDM. Is it affecting all non-root users or just the one account? If it's system-wide, the authentication may have somehow gotten switched to LDAP. Usually root authentication is not part of default LDAP configs, due to the security implications of have LAN-wide root access or if the LDAP server were to get compromised (you'd have instant root of the entire LAN). So that may explain root still working.

To fix login as root and run system-config-authentication to make sure that it hasn't gotten switched to LDAP somehow.

blackspade · 08-04-2005, 03:57 AM

Hey, Im having the same problem too. What do you mean by make sure that the ldap didnt change? should they all be unchecked?

blackspade · 08-04-2005, 04:15 AM

Basically I'm Running Linux enterprise AS v4 And Ive been working with root for the last week, ( i know i shouldnt be ) but today i went to login as my user, and it wont let me. It says Authenication failed, and Basically what the other guys post said. Ive been trying now for 4 hours to figure out whats wrong. Maybe you can help me out!
Thanks
- Jonathan

aqoliveira · 08-04-2005, 06:06 AM

Hi

have u tried login in from a console with your user account. This will be a good idea to see if there is really a prob with your account or just the GUI version.

Also try creating another test account and see if the result is the same if not then delet the old account whichout deleting the home directory just incase u have data in there.

cheers

blackspade · 08-04-2005, 06:11 AM

Hey come to my forum

same problem

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...24#post1781924

clayharryman · 08-04-2005, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Capt_Caveman
To fix login as root and run system-config-authentication to make sure that it hasn't gotten switched to LDAP somehow.

I think I remember finding this accidentally. I was trying to figure out how to make a Win2003 Domain Controller talk to my linux box. I postponed that exercise until I find the instructions somewhere, and didn't return things to normal. Then I whacked the windows box 'cuz I hate windows...

Anyhow -- I disabled LDAP and NIS and all the other goodies I had turned on. Maybe I should disconnect it from the internet now...

Thanks!

Adios,
Clay