Trying to get samba working on my server (& not yet succeeded) I had the following faults occur, sd far as I am aware, simultaneaously.

1) my cursor changed from "steve@server" to "I have no name!@server" It still works, puts me in my home dir etc. Other users are OK

2) gdm3 will not start but keeps trying & won't let me open a terminal with, say ctrl-alt-F1 until I shut down.

I have checked /etc/passwd against the backup & replaced .bashrc from backup & can see no problems of change.

Ideas or pointers anyone please?

Steve

What flavour of linux are you using, eg: Debian Squeeze? Was your server connected to the internet? Have you checked your logs eg: firewall and rkhunter logs?

1) deb squeeze
2) connected to internet via incoming blocking router
3) checked firewall log & seems OK. no RK hunter as had not heard of it. have now & will look into it later.
4) the problem seemed to occur when I first tried my new samba configuration (which didn't work) from the only windows machine on the system. I have since shut down samba till I have this sorted.

I can start X as root from startx but when I try as any normal user I get "SELinux disabled on system not enabled in x server." Enabling or disabling makes no difference & I don't know if this error message was there before.

The "I have no name!" name applies only to me, not to root other users & the system still knows who I am & allows me into my files which look OK. Just gdm3 & x problems discovered so far.

Thanks for your help so far.

Steve

To be honest, just guessing. Have you setup /etc/hosts on both Windows and linux boxes? Maybe easiest thing in long run is to rm -r * or format drives and replace with the backup you have that worked. I haven't encountered the 'ihavenoname' problem, but my first instinct is to suspect hacking, especially with the selinux problem. But I am a bit paranoid now about security and it may mean nothing.
rkhunter and chkrootkit are essential security programs and are used for detecting rootkits, which are truly evil.

http://www.linux-tutorial.info/modul...=122&view=next may help

Time moved on & I needed it working so I re-installed the OS & it is now working OK. I take your point about root kits & am looking into it. I didn't get anywhere with the username or SELinux & didn't really research the GDM3 issues.

I was worried that having re-installed the OS (on a separate disk) the corruption/attack the problem could be on the homes disk but it appears to be working OK.

Many thanks for your help, sorry not to follow it through.

Steve

Not a problem, glad it is working.