My distribution is SuSE 8.2, the firewall is disabled.

Everytime I try to start vsftpd as root from the command line I get a kernel OOPS: socket message. I have edited /etd/vsftpd.conf to try various control and data ports, but always get the same message. I have no other instance of vsftpd or other ftp server running.

Does anyone have an idea on this one???

Can you post your vsftpd.conf file?
Also, is your FTP server running in standalone mode or is it being run from xinetd?

You said you are starting it from the command line (so it sounds like you are running in stand alone mode) if so.... you might want to make sure that "listen=YES" is in your vsftpd.conf file.

I am trying (unsuccessfully) to run vsftpd in standalone mode. If (when) I get it to run this way, I will probably set it up to start via xinetd.

Output from "netstat -natu"
--------------------------

Active Internet connections (servers and established)
Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address Foreign Address State
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:111 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:6000 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:22 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:631 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
tcp 0 0 127.0.0.1:25 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
tcp 1 0 10.0.0.2:32858 68.54.159.145:80 CLOSE_WAIT
udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:68 0.0.0.0:*
udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:111 0.0.0.0:*
udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:631 0.0.0.0:*


/etc/vsftpd.conf
----------------

dirmessage_enable=YES
anonymous_enable=YES
xferlog_enable=YES
connect_from_port_20=YES
ftp_data_port=20
pam_service_name=vsftpd
listen=YES
listen_port=21

I was under the impression that you could not run vsftpd from cli. It has to be run from inetd or xinetd. Here's the line from /etc/inetd on my Debian system:

ftp stream tcp nowait root /usr/sbin/vsftpd

It is my understanding that vsftpd indeed can be run in stand alone mode (not via an inetd). I quote from the man page for vsftpd.conf:

listen If enabled, vsftpd will run in standalone mode.
This means that vsftpd must not be run from an
inetd of some kind. Instead, the vsftpd executable
is run once directly. vsftpd itself will then take
care of listening for and handling incoming connec_
tions.

Default: NO

You will note the LISTEN=YES line in vsftpd.conf posted previously.

Yes, you can run VSFTPD in stand-alone mode.

Your conf file looks good. Are you certian you do not have a vsftpd in your /etc/xinetd.d directory?

I would simplify your conf file at least until you get it running properly. Try this...

connect_from_port_20=YES
pam_service_name=vsftpd
listen=YES
listen_port=21

I have discovered some additional info about this problem -- it has nothing to do with vsftpd configuration.

If I boot with the kernel originally shipped by SuSE, vsftpd starts and runs perfedtlllly. When I use the kernel that I compiled, the problem occurs.

It is my preference to build a kernel with all modules builtin that are required to get the system up and running (i.e. support for ext3, vfat, cdrom, SOCKETS, etc.). SuSE uses the initrd mechanism to load modules at boot time. Obviously, I have screwed up somewhere. Does anyone have any idea which modules might be involved with this OOPS: socket problem?

I couldn't begin to answer your question, but I would suggest you start a new post for it because no one is going to look at this one for a kernel question.