Hi All, I was trying to change the default login shell for root from sh to tcsh on Solaris 8 in the /etc/passwd file. Accidentally, the path inserted was an invalid one. Unfortunately, there are no other users with root privileges. su is not working as I get an invalid shell error message. Based on a posting in this board, I tried to go into maintenance mode and boot from a CD. However, I get the same invalid shell message in maintenance mode and I get kicked into regular startup mode. Please Help! Thanks, Subra

boot -s cdrom from the ok prompt still gives the error? if you have a backup of your passwd file on the drive then you could do an interactive boot and specify that file instead?

From the OK prompt, type boot cdrom -s Then mount root (mount /dev/dsk/c0t0d0s0 /a) Edit the /a/etc/passwd file and change the shell back to /bin/sh

hi friends, superuser's (root) default shell is not /bin/sh, it is /sbin/sh. take care.

Hi Mark, Could you tell me exactly how to get to the OK prompt as well as how to do an interactive boot? I am more of a developer trying to maintain the server and am not familiar with the usual sys admin stuff. Thanks, Subra

To get to the OK prompt, you need to send a "break" to the system. If your directly on the system, you can simply hit Stop-A and that should take you straight to the ok prompt. To do an interactive boot from cdrom, "boot cdrom - install" (lose the quotations and note spaces). To boot from the network, "boot net - install" If you are telneting to the system, to get to the okay prompt it would be something like Ctrl-] followed by "send brk". If you are sshing to the system, to get to the okay prompt, hit : ~~#

I am also looking at this problem. I can get to the ok prompt - thanks! But, when I mount /dev/dsk/c0t0d0s0 /a my a directory has no subdirectories or files. So I cannot edit the passwd file. Any ideas?