hello all, while viewing the /var/log/wtmp file i get this. here is a rather short example....
---
?tty112.4.20-30.9?k@?tty222.4.20-30.9?k@?tty332.4.20-30.9?k@?tty442.4.20-30.9?k@?tty552.4.20-30.9?k@?tty662.4.20-30.9?k@a?x2.4.20-30.9?k@Htt?tty112.4.20-30.9?k@?tty222.4.20-30.9?k@?tty332.4.20-30.9?k@?tty442.4.20-30.9?k@?tty552.4.20-30.9?k@?tty662.4.20-30.9?k@a?x2.4.20-30.9?k@Htty112.4.20-30.9?k@tty222.4.20-30.9?k@Stty332.4.20-30.9?k@tty442.4.20-30.9?k@tty552.4.20-30.9?k@tty662.4.20-30.9?k@Wl02.4.20-30.9?k@\~~~~shutdown2.4.20-30.9?k@si2.4.20-30.9DXr@
~~~reboot2.4.20-30.9DXr@u5N~~~runlevel2.4.20-30.9DXr@Vy7l52.4.20-30.9DXr@7l52.4.20-30.9eXr@r??12.4.20-30.9eXr@?22.4.20-30.9eXr@?32.4.20-30.9eXr@?42.4.20-30.9eXr@?52.4.20-30.9eXr@! ?62.4.20-30.9eXr@B ?x2.4.20-30.9eXr@? ?tty11LOGIN?eXr@?tty22LOGIN?eXr?tty33LOGIN?eXr@?tty44LOGIN?eXr@?tty55LOGIN?eXr@ ?tty66LOGIN?eXr@ @:0:0hostnameV@?wXr@X@@@VB?.B?pts/0/0herbalXr@pts/1/1herbalJZrpts/0/0/hostnamer@@:0:0V@?nr@X@@@VB?.B?B05~~~runlevel2.4.20-30.9nr@v?tty112.4.20-30.9nr@?tty222.4.20-30.9nr@t?tty332.4.20-30.9nr@C?tty442.4.20-30.9nr@?tty552.4.20-30.9nr@2?tty662.4.20-30.9nr@
?x2.4.20-30.9nr@tty112.4.20-30.9nrtty222.4.20-30.9nrtty332.4.20-30.9nr@tty442.4.20-30.9nr@tty552.4.20-30.9nrtty662.4.20-30.9nr@?n5l02.4.20-30.9nr@~~~~~shutdown2.4.20-30.9or@?
si2.4.20-30.9Ys@a~~~reboot2.4.20-30.9Ys@ ?5N~~~runlevel2.4.20-30.9Ys@?6l52.4.20-30.9Ys@56l52.4.20-30.9s@Aq12.4.20-30.9s@r22.4.20-30.9s@# s32.4.20-30.9s@
t42.4.20-30.9s@u52.4.20-30.9s
---
the file looks like it can be read, im not sure, any help as to why i get this would be thankful for.

-mf

That is more or less a binary file, veiw its contents with the 'last' command.
example.
sh# last | more

ahh, thanks AutOPSY

-mf