Problems with console login on newly created root filesystem (for PXEboot)
 

I am passing a diskless workstation a compressed root filesystem that is copied from a server (chopped down). I am only intereted in text consoles being available on the client (runlevel 3).

The diskless workstation goes well up to the login:

RedHat Linux release 9 (Shrike)
Kernel 2.4.20-8 on and i686

(none) login:

When I log in as root I get the following error:

Login incorrect

There is no "password" prompt displayed. It simply cycles to the login prompt again.

When I fool around with the /etc/pam.d/login file (such as commenting out the "auth required pam_securetty.so" line) the behaviour changes. In this specific case it causes the "Login incorrect" message to be flashed briefly rather than to stay on screen.

Among other files, the root filesystem that is prepared for the client has (copied from the server, which works):

/etc/passwd
/etc/group
/etc/pam.d/* ( that is, all the files in the server's /etc/pam.d directory)

I am unfamiliar with the login process so I am asking for help.

1) Are there files I am missing?
2) Is it possible to get a login without authentication (log straight into root)? If so, how?

Thanks for your help,
Grey

Depending on your setup, you may be missing /etc/shadow (used to store the encrypted passwords without giving read access to all and sundry).

You can also boot straight into root, but I don't know how off-hand. Putting "su --login" near the end of the boot scripts might work.