Re: [expert] sshd server problem - HELP!

[Tibbetts, Ric]

Brian wrote:

On Tue, 07 Jan 2003 10:09:59 -0500
"Tibbetts, Ric" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

All;
I have an interesting challenge. Some speculation will be required to solve this one!

The situation:

Linux Server sitting in Seattle, I'm in Florida.
The Linux Server crashed due to a power failure (I know, it needs a UPS). When the server came back up, it came up, sans sshd. So I cannot

get on it to check it out. I also cannot get on to diagnose the

problem

with sshd, because ssh is my only access (kinda a catch-22 isn't it?).

Further complicating it: I Have no one on site, that knows spit about computers, that can help. The best that can be offered is a pair of fingers, that are extremely computer illerate.

Somehow, I need to diagnose the problem, and find a way to fix it.
Any suggestions will be greatfully accepted.

Any "guesses" on what would be snagging up sshd? All I know is that it

failes to start, both on boot, and via "service sshd start". I don't know what's in the logs, I can't get to them.

I know this is vague, but it's all I have to go on at the moment.

Any suggestions, speculations, "WAGs" will be very greatfully

accepted!

Also: Telnet is not installed, so enabling that is not a solution.

Thank you!

    Ric

PS: The server is running on Mandrake 8.1

You need to find out for sure if it's sshd not starting or access is
blocked.  (service sshd status)

Any steps to correct a non-starting sshd are quite difficult for a
'computer illiterate pair of fingers'  although a 'tail
/var/log/messages' may be useful if done right after attempting to start
sshd.

Yeah, it's deffinately not starting. We tried "service sshd start", and it fails.

My guess is either a jammed filesystem, or an orphaned lock file. But with no access, it's just a guess. I'd LOVE to get ahold of /var/log/messages. But there is no one there that can open it, much less be able to decipher the contents.

The solution to sshd will be a simple one. It was running fine, until the server crashed. So it's just an abandoned file that is blocking things. (or possibly /var, or /tmp are full.. ).

My fingers up there won't be available for a while yet today. I'm hoping to talk them through a "df" to see if something filled up...Typing "df" is really easy. Reading the output isn't (for a total computer illerate!)...

I guess I needed a post holiday challenge, to get the brain jump started after the time off.. :)

Ric

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