init: getty repeating too quickly on port /dev/ttyv8, sleeping 30 secs

[Matthew Seaman]

On 27/12/2010 14:11, Anton Shterenlikht wrote:
> On 9.0-CURRENT r216732 ia64 I get this message:
> 
> % grep getty /var/log/messages | tail
> Dec 27 13:26:57 mech-cluster241 init: getty repeating too quickly on port /dev/ttyv8, sleeping 30 secs
> Dec 27 13:27:27 mech-cluster241 init: getty repeating too quickly on port /dev/ttyv8, sleeping 30 secs
> Dec 27 13:27:57 mech-cluster241 init: getty repeating too quickly on port /dev/ttyv8, sleeping 30 secs
> Dec 27 13:45:22 mech-cluster241 init: getty repeating too quickly on port /dev/ttyv8, sleeping 30 secs
> Dec 27 13:45:53 mech-cluster241 init: getty repeating too quickly on port /dev/ttyv8, sleeping 30 secs
> Dec 27 13:46:23 mech-cluster241 init: getty repeating too quickly on port /dev/ttyv8, sleeping 30 secs
> Dec 27 13:52:55 mech-cluster241 init: getty repeating too quickly on port /dev/ttyv8, sleeping 30 secs
> Dec 27 13:53:25 mech-cluster241 init: getty repeating too quickly on port /dev/ttyv8, sleeping 30 secs
> Dec 27 13:57:56 mech-cluster241 init: getty repeating too quickly on port /dev/ttyv8, sleeping 30 secs
> Dec 27 13:58:26 mech-cluster241 init: getty repeating too quickly on port /dev/ttyv8, sleeping 30 secs
> %
> 
> % grep ttyv8 /etc/ttys 
> ttyv8   "/usr/local/bin/xdm"    xterm   on secure
> 
> % cat /var/log/xdm.log 
> %
> 
> And no other indication of anything going wrong.
> 
> I've seen quite a few similar reports on the net,
> but no conclusive answer.
> 
> What exactly does the above message mean?

Usually that xdm is failing to start.  getty will keep trying to run it,
and wil fill your log files with messages of failure until you fix the
problem.

I'd turn off xdm on that vty temporarily, [change 'on' to 'off' in that
line in /etc/ttys, and 'kill -HUP 1' to restart init] and then try
running xdm manually from the console to see what happens.  It could be
all sorts of things causing the problem.

> Should I be worried?

Only if you desperately need to log into an X windows session on the
console of that machine.  Otherwise you should be able to log in over
the network and run any X applications displaying remotely on the
machine you logged in from.

	Cheers,

	Matthew

-- 
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                   7 Priory Courtyard
                                                  Flat 3
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey     Ramsgate
JID: matthew at infracaninophile.co.uk               Kent, CT11 9PW

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