"Warning: unknown group floppy"

rgiggs · 08-28-2004, 07:22 PM

hi,
i have slackware 10. whenever i log into root using "su," the message "Warning: unknown group floppy" is printed out. neither "pwck" nor "grpck" returns any errors.
what is the problem? is it serious?
thanks.

----edit:
actually, i also receive the warning when i log in as a normal user (init level 3). and before the warning started showing up, i'd run "userdel floppy" and "groupdel floppy" (i don't remember which was run first, though.)

Cedrik · 08-28-2004, 08:50 PM

On my system the floppy group exists and was created by the installation not by me :

cat /etc/group | grep floppy
floppy:x:11:root

Just for know, do you run a 2.6 kernel with udev ?

rgiggs · 08-28-2004, 09:15 PM

Quote:

On my system the floppy group exists and was created by the installation not by me :

cat /etc/group | grep floppy
floppy:x:11:root

same here. but i deleted the user and the group.

Quote:

Just for know, do you run a 2.6 kernel with udev ?

yes. kernel 2.6.5 and udev.

rgiggs · 08-28-2004, 11:11 PM

well, i tried adding the group floppy back, and then the warning went away. then i deleted the group again, then the warning returned.

blk96gt · 08-28-2004, 11:23 PM

The warning is happening because both root and your other user are probably members of the floppy group, and you're getting the warning since the group doesn't exist. Either just leave the group or make it so you're not a member of that group.

rgiggs · 08-29-2004, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by blk96gt
The warning is happening because both root and your other user are probably members of the floppy group, and you're getting the warning since the group doesn't exist.

that can't be. /etc/group does not have the 'floppy' entry, so I believe no user can be a member of 'floppy.' also, i created a new user called 'temp' with all the default options (which i believe makes 'temp' a member of only 'users' and no other group). i login as 'temp' and still see the warning.

blk96gt · 08-29-2004, 02:19 AM

Maybe by default when you create a user they are automatically added to the floppy group, and it doesn't check to see whether or not that group exists maybe? This is just a guess, maybe someone who knows more can possibly chime in.

rgiggs · 08-29-2004, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cedrik
do you run a 2.6 kernel with udev ?

since you mentioned udev, i've noticed that during boot (after grub OS selection and before login prompt), i see this (trying to remember):

Code:

initializing udev dynamic directory
chown: 'uucp': invalid group
chown: 'floppy': invalid group

hope that gives some clues.

Cedrik · 08-29-2004, 03:55 AM

Yes, as udev create devices files at boot, it assigns permissions for these files too.

You can try comment the relevant lines in :
/etc/udev/permissions.d/udev.permissions
/etc/udev/rules.d/udev.rules

But I think you won't be able to use floppy after that