cannot log in via console, cannot su(1), only as root

[Michael K. Smith - Adhost]

Hello Martin:

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org [mailto:owner-freebsd-
> questions at freebsd.org] On Behalf Of martinko
> Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2007 5:28 PM
> To: freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> Subject: Re: cannot log in via console, cannot su(1), only as root
> 
> Michael K. Smith - Adhost wrote:
> > Hello Martinko:
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org [mailto:owner-freebsd-
> >> questions at freebsd.org] On Behalf Of martinko
> >> Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2007 4:36 PM
> >> To: freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> >> Subject: Re: cannot log in via console, cannot su(1), only as root
> >>
> >> martinko wrote:
> >>> hello list,
> >>>
> >>> i was updating sw configuration of my old computer and towards the
> >> end i
> >>> noticed i couldn't log in on local console other than root.  i
> tried
> >>> remote ssh using public keys which worked but i found out su(1) to
> >> any
> >>> user except root does not work either.  i've no idea how i could
> >>> possibly manage to "break" my system like this and unfortunately i
> >> need
> >>> to fix it by tomorrow.  therefore i would really appreciate your
> >> prompt
> >>> hints as what to check etc.
> >>>
> >> some more details follow ...
> >>
> >> upgrade from 6.0-R to 6.2-R
> >> everything went ok ..
> >> i was doing changes in /etc based on my other computer settings
> >> i was working via ssh(1), therefore i haven't noticed when logging
> on
> >> console stopped working.
> >>
> >> what works:
> >> log in via ssh(1) using public/private keys
> >> log in on local console as root
> >> su(1) to root
> >>
> >> what doesn't work:
> >> log in via ssh(1) using password
> >> log in on local console as a normal user
> >> su(1) to a normal user (it even doesn't ask for password a throws
> >> "sorry")
> >>
> >> besides, as root i'm able to change passwords via passwd(1), but it
> >> doesn't help and a normal user cannot change their own password
(old
> >> password check would fail).
> >>
> >> i ran vipw(8) and it doesn't seem to me there's something wrong
with
> > my
> >> files.
> >>
> >> any hints pls ??
> >>
> >
> > The normal user would have to be a member of the "wheel" group to
use
> su
> > at any point.  If your normal user logs in via ssh/console/whatever,
> > they should be able to run the passwd command to change their own
> > password.  You wouldn't want them to su to do so.  If you want to
> test
> > this, add your normal user to the wheel group, log in again and see
> if
> > it works.
> >
> 
> I'm not having problem with a password as such.  I can change it.  I
> just cannot log in using password as any user apart from root, whether
> logging locally (console) or remotely (ssh).  Users I tried su(1) are
> of
> course members of wheel group.  su(1) failed before even accepting any
> password.  There's something wrong somewhere and I need to find it,
> just
> don't know how.  Any ideas pls ??
> 
> Martin
> 
There are three things I would check.

1) When you ps auxww | grep sshd is it the system version in /sbin or is
it firing from /usr/local/sbin?
	a) If it's in /usr/local/sbin then the config file *may* be in
/usr/local/etc/sshd/sshd_config
2) Is your /etc/ttys configuration odd?
3) Is /etc/pam.d/sshd configured the way you would like?  Is it calling
odd or unexpected PAM modules?

Regards,

Mike