I can not get a password prompt

[tkalayci]

Hi everbody,
I use Red Hat Linux. I had no problems so far. But today, I wanted to login as root to linux and nothing happens. I have rebooted, problem continues. When screen comes after rebooting:
Red Hat Linux release 7.0 (Guinness)
Kernel 2.2.16-22 on an i686
mail login:
I write root, hit enter and nothing happens. I can not get a password prompt. It happens for other user names too.
I have also tried telnet as a different user than root, this time I can not even get a login prompt.: :confused:

Any help will be very appriciated.
Thanx

[Linuxcool]

When you boot up, if you get a lilo boot prompt, enter linux single at the prompt. You should be logged in as root at some kind of prompt. In my case, it was a ' sh ' prompt. Then you can look around and figure out what's wrong. Good luck

[tkalayci]

I have tried. I can login at Linux Single mode. I could not find anything unusual. Where should I look ? Any ideas ? Thank you.

[Linuxcool]

Before this happened, did you download and install any new software? This new software could have done something bad to your system.

Have you checked your password file to see if it is okay?

After you login using ' linux single ', are you able to add any new users to your system?

[linuxluis]

OK from my understanding you get passed all the deamond starting right? you get the the prompt were you log in.

1. Did you create a user account . if so try login in as a user first.

2 . If you did not create a user , log in as root . if you get a black screen try hitting crt + c to cancell it you should see a prompt one again. from there you should be able to check your passwd file (/etc/passwd)

if that does not work try other terminal by hitting ( alt+crt+F2, F3 F4 etc ) that will take you back to the regual termal were you started. if you want to go back to the orignal termal just hit alt+F7

if you have trouble let me know I will find the solution to your problem.

tux :cool:

[tkalayci]

Hi,
My system was working properly with 30 something users defined. I did not install any new software. It was OK one day, next day I could not login neither as root nor any of defined users. Thus I do not think it is a new software problem.
When I boot as linux single, I can add users etc. I mean, except I couldn't login, system works fine. One odd thing is telnet. When I telnet to system, telnet runs and gives me Red Hat Linux blah blah but no login
prompt at all.
I am totaly confused.
I start to consider reinstalling linux, but I have to define around 100 users, passwords, virtual mail aliases etc. Thus I will do this a last resort.
Any new ideas, thank you all.