Linux, FreeBSD, Juniper, Cisco / Network security articles and troubleshooting guides

FAQ

It is currently Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:08 am

ROOT ‹ Tutorials & Guides ‹ Tutorials for general Unix ‹ Linux - Unable to login (and authentication succeeds) - File size limit exceeded

Tutorials applicable on more than one Unix/Linux OS and shell scripts: ssh / openssl / protocols.

Post a reply

4 posts • Page 1 of 1

Linux - Unable to login (and authentication succeeds) - File size limit exceeded

« Previous topic | Next topic »

Author

Message

debuser

Post subject: Linux - Unable to login (and authentication succeeds) - File size limit exceeded | Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 10:22 am

Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:48 am
Posts: 105

Linux - Unable to login (and authentication succeeds) - File size limit exceeded

This is most probably because of the /var/log/wtmp file which, if it goes over ~4.5GB, getty processes will not be able to create virtual terminals and all sorts of login problems from here on (sshd, telnet and so on).

			Tweet
Follow @IvordeCom

You might also be interested in:
Daemontools /service/test/log: unable to open supervise/ok: file does not exist. How to change user login shell to bash in Linux. bash: Redirecting standard error to a shell variable and standard output to a file. Normalizing terminal prompt (or putty prompt) after catting a binary file. bash: -bash: output: cannot overwrite existing file. Linux - zip command to archive directory recursive. Linux/FreeBSD how to check ntp time synchronization. Linux/FreeBSD: How to find process start time or running time with PS.

Top

debuser

Post subject: Re: Linux - Unable to login (and authentication succeeds) | Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 10:30 am

Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:48 am
Posts: 105

The way to investigate this is by starting sshd with debug

Code:

#/usr/sbin/sshd -ddd

This will show the following error when a user will fail to login (although the authentication is ok)

Quote:

File size limit exceeded

This is because SSH tries to span a virtual terminal which cannot be created because of /var/log/tmp file beeing too large.

The solution is to empty wtmp:

Code:

# >/var/log/wtmp

Top

wnbv85

Post subject: Re: Linux - Unable to login (and authentication succeeds) - File size limit exceeded | Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:09 am

Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2011 9:41 am
Posts: 3

hey
i'll guess the solution to my problem will be something simple and
obvious, because i know i ain't the first person to do this, but i've
been staring at it for days and can't see what's wrong.
os x snow leopard server; postfix 2.5.5; dovecot 1.1.17apple0.5
trying to get SMTP auth working via SASL. using a plain password
scheme and plain auth scheme over SSL. client is apple mail.
deliveries are working, and dovecot's pop3s and imaps are working just
fine. but when i attempt to use smtp auth, postfix says
SASL plain authentication failed
unable to lookup user record
scoured months worth of list archives and didn't see anything specific
to this. other eyes are appreciated! thanks.

Top

admin

Post subject: Re: Linux - Unable to login (and authentication succeeds) - File size limit exceeded | Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:24 am

Site Admin

Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:43 am
Posts: 104

Can you post some configuration ?

_________________
VPSie - SSD VPS servers in AMS-IX, LINX, DE-CIX
https://vpsie.com

Top

Post a reply

4 posts • Page 1 of 1

Topics		Author	Replies	Views	Last post
Topics related to - "Linux - Unable to login (and authentication succeeds) - File size limit exceeded"
	Daemontools /service/test/log: unable to open supervise/ok: file does not exist	debuser	0	5153	Thu Nov 26, 2009 7:11 am debuser
	How to change user login shell to bash in Linux	mandrei99	0	2835	Thu Jan 22, 2015 11:37 am mandrei99
	bash: Redirecting standard error to a shell variable and standard output to a file	debuser	0	4970	Mon Oct 31, 2011 6:54 am debuser
	Normalizing terminal prompt (or putty prompt) after catting a binary file	debuser	2	2594	Mon Jul 29, 2013 1:02 am jonnblaze
	bash: -bash: output: cannot overwrite existing file	debuser	0	4816	Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:03 am debuser
	Linux - zip command to archive directory recursive	debuser	1	6338	Sat Aug 04, 2012 8:03 am Harespok
	Linux/FreeBSD how to check ntp time synchronization	debuser	4	6719	Wed Aug 01, 2012 6:59 am Harespok
	Linux/FreeBSD: How to find process start time or running time with PS	admin	0	7842	Wed Jan 21, 2015 12:25 pm admin

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

You can post new topics in this forum
You can reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:

Channel list

ROOT ‹ Tutorials & Guides ‹ Tutorials for general Unix

Delete all board cookies | The team | All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]