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strange message whan i login as a root

Hi
i had my linux sistem upgraded to kde 3.5.1 and some other packages.But after i installed i get this message, whan i try to login as a root with su command.

Code:

whynot@Whynot ~ $ su

Password:

configuration error - unknown item 'FAILLOG_ENAB' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'LASTLOG_ENAB' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'MOTD_FILE' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'FTMP_FILE' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'ENV_ROOTPATH' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'PASS_MIN_LEN' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'CHFN_AUTH' (notify administrator)

Wyhnot whynot #

How do i fix this error.
thanx.

Hi,

What distribution of Linux are you using? What happens if you login as a regular user? (logging in as root is generally considered unsafe)

Sincerely, Jorgen

Quote:

Originally Posted by anti.corp

Hi,

What distribution of Linux are you using? What happens if you login as a regular user? (logging in as root is generally considered unsafe)

Sincerely, Jorgen

I have linux from scratch.There is same error whan i switch to regular user.

Code:

whynot@Whynot ~ $ su

Password:

configuration error - unknown item 'FAILLOG_ENAB' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'LASTLOG_ENAB' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'MOTD_FILE' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'FTMP_FILE' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'ENV_ROOTPATH' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'PASS_MIN_LEN' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'CHFN_AUTH' (notify administrator)



Whynot whynot #

Whynot whynot # su whynot

configuration error - unknown item 'FAILLOG_ENAB' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'LASTLOG_ENAB' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'MOTD_FILE' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'FTMP_FILE' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'ENV_ROOTPATH' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'PASS_MIN_LEN' (notify administrator)

configuration error - unknown item 'CHFN_AUTH' (notify administrator)

whynot@Whynot ~ $

Stuff like "FAILLOG_ENAB" comes from malformed or inconsistent entries in /etc/login.defs
Check if there are spaces instead of tabs between the variable and the value.

* Not to chide you in any way, but if you search LQ for some of these errors you could have found this on your own.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anti.corp

...(logging in as root is generally considered unsafe)...

I wouldn't go quite this extreme on the recommendation myself. I'd suggest something like: "Use caution when logged in as root. Do not use root for general tasks that do not require it's high level of privileges. With root, you have carte blanche to save your system ... or destroy it!"

Well, presumably, as a Linux From Scratch user, he knows that. :D It sounds to me like a problem in the login.defs file.

However... are you using PAM? If so, the problem could be there.

From time to time, messages like these will pop-up, which disappear after /sbin/ldconfig and reboot.

thanx all.Now it works fine. :)
i use mostly sudo but sometimes i need to switch to other users :)