"INIT: Going Single User" during boot
 

I run Mandriva 10.1 official, and have had my share of irritating newbe trouble already. In spite of that I'm very happy for using and LEARNING about Linux.

My latest problem came into existence while trying to install some additional packages by booting with the installation CDs - I know: STUPID thing to do having the graphic Controlcentre and all... (Hard rake?) *lol*

Anyway, here is how the booting goes:
(I have to translate from Norwegian, so have some patience with me...)
...
Switching on Swap-Area [OK]

Starting netprofile: [OK]
INIT: Entering runlevel: 5
INIT: Switching to runlevel: 1
INIT: Sending processes the TERM signal
Sending all the processes the TERM-signal....
INIT: no more processes left in this runlevel
Asking INIT to go to single user mode
INIT: Going to single user
sh-2.05b#

Here I just have to write "exit", and then it continues with the booting with these lines as next:

INIT: Entering runlevel 5
Starting hotplug
Start udev

And then it just goes on until KDE is up and running...

So, not really a BIG problem, but I would rather like it when I do not have to write "exit" every time i boot the system. *lol*
It is INIT version 2.85, it that helps in any way....

-vibeke-

Hmmm... OK! I've been looking and looking trough files, and I still can't find where the call for Single User mode is... The call for runlevel 1 is done by the file /etc/rc.d/init.d/single. But why???

Maybe this post belongs in an other forum? Any insights on this? Please?

-vibeke-

What's in your /etc/inittab? what's the line with initdefault set to?

Hi!

The line in /etc/inittab is just how it should be...:
id:5:initdefault:

But tnx anyway! All help is appreciated :)

-vibeke-

Hi again!

Still tinkering with my little problem.... Does this help in any way?

$ more /usr/share/doc/SysVinit-2.85/sysvinit-2.85.lsm
Begin3
Title: sysvinit and utilities
Version: 2.85
Entered-Date: 18APR2003
Description: This is the Linux System V init.
This version can be compiled with glibc 2.0.6 and up.
Author: miquels@cistron.nl (Miquel van Smoorenburg)
Primary-Site: ftp.cistron.nl /pub/people/miquels/software
92K sysvinit-2.85.tar.gz
Alternate-Site: sunsite.unc.edu /pub/Linux/system/daemons/init
92K sysvinit-2.85.tar.gz
Copying-Policy: GPL
Keywords: init shutdown halt reboot
End

It says in the sysvinit-2.85.c that it is written for Debian Linux.... Then what the @*% is it doing at a Mandriva system??? Or am I just at the totally wrong planet here? *laughing*

Hope this rings any bells in some one elses genious brains - it sure didn't in mine... ;)

-vibeke-

Well, I'm still not giving up.. I have a hope someone will come up with a good idea ;)

I looked in the logs, and here is a cutout from the boot sequence:
...
Nov 17 13:45:23 192 partmon: OK
Nov 17 13:45:23 192 partmon:
Nov 17 13:45:23 192 rc: Starter partmon: succeeded
Nov 17 13:45:23 192 nfslock: rpc.lockd oppstart succeeded
Nov 17 13:45:23 192 rpc.statd[3267]: Version 1.0.6 Starting
Nov 17 13:45:23 192 rpc.statd[3267]: statd running as root. chown /var/lib/nfs/sm to choose different user
Nov 17 13:45:23 192 nfslock: rpc.statd oppstart succeeded
..
This must be when it all stops and jumps into single user mode, and I have to type exit to get it to continue... :confused:
..
Nov 17 13:43:42 192 rc: Starter hotplug: succeeded
Nov 17 13:43:47 192 perl: drakupdate_fstab called with --auto --add /dev/sda1
Nov 17 13:43:47 192 udev: Start udev succeeded
...

Any ideas? Or should I just give up and learn to live with it...??? :cry:

Well, I'm not the girl to give up so easily.... But if none of the Guru's here can help, who can?!?

-vibeke-

Lol!

there's only a few programs in there that are actually written by Mandriva, the rest can be from anyone that has released their program under the GNU. Mandriva simply packsges GNU Linux programs, maybe patch a few, adds a couple of their own (e.g. drak....) and you got Mandriva! I suppose you would be shocked to know that it was Suse that developed the net_applet that Mandriva uses (in your system tray)?

Hi
This is a complete stab in the dark but are you sure you aren't passing a kernel/bootloader argument telling "init" to enter single user mode? e.g "s" or "S" ---- maybe a typo???

You can check by looking in dmesg log file (/var/log/dmesg) and search for:
"Kernel command line" (w/out quotes of course)
then see if everything looks okay.

As I said, it's just a wild stab... but hey, it might jog someones memory.

Cheers
Ian

Hi Ian! :)

You might be on to something... I'm not really sure. (Well, I AM a noob!!!) Here is the line, anyway:
...
Kernel command line: auto BOOT_IMAGE=linux ro root=342 failsafe
...

Does it tell you anything???
Well, I know failsafe takes me into command mode, but not like this... It doesn't continue to the GUI when I type exit in failsafe - it just goes back to "login-screen" in the tty.
Thank you SO much, anyway! Really appreciate it!

Tnx for the answer from Reiver_Fluffy too! Lol!! I'm not really shocked, but it's interesting to learn! All new knowledge adds to the greater picture. I'm just adding one small piece after another :D How many pieces can there be???

-vibeke-

vwagheim can you please post the contents of /etc/lilo.conf

Hi tkedwards!

Tnx for taking an interest!
Of course I can print the contents:

...
# more /etc/lilo.conf
# File generated by DrakX/drakboot
# WARNING: do not forget to run lilo after modifying this file

default="linux"
boot=/dev/hda
map=/boot/map
keytable=/boot/no-latin1.klt
prompt
nowarn
timeout=100
message=/boot/message
menu-scheme=wb:bw:wb:bw
image=/boot/vmlinuz
label="linux"
root=/dev/hdb2
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.6.8.1-12mdksmp.img
append="failsafe"
read-only
other=/dev/hda1
label="windows"
table=/dev/hda
image=/boot/vmlinuz
label="failsafe"
root=/dev/hdb2
initrd=/boot/initrd.img
append="failsafe acpi=ht"
read-only
...

So, did this ring any bells?

-vibeke-

Hi

Okay, edit your lilo.conf file and remove the line :
append="failsafe"
the one thats 3 lines below 'label=linux'

rerun lilo to write the changes

Reboot and select linux and you should be good to go

Cheers
Ian

:D IT WORKED!!!!! :D

Thank you SO much, Ian! I newer thought of going into lilo.conf. I thought that all configurations about lilo was done graphical where I choose wether to use lilo or grub... That's how much I know! :p

Again: I'm very grateful!

-vibeke-

You're welcome :)
Make sure you give yourself a pat on the back for sticking with it ;)

Ian