9fans archive / 1997 / 02 / 10 /    prev next

From: Eric Blood eblood@cs....
Subject: Authentication-server installation problems
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 11:45:58 -0800


I'm trying to setup a new authentication-server for our Plan9 network
where we already have a file-server with a full CD install and a
terminal that is connected to the file-server.  But I'm consistently
running into a problem with the authentication server installation.

Following the current instructions off the Plan9 web page I've done
the initial file-system setup on the new authentication-server and
created the authid on the file-server.  Then, after selecting the
fourth option from the menu (CPU/Authentication) and rebooting the
authentication-server, it will prompt where to boot from (il), my IP,
my mask, my gateway, the file server IP, and the authentication IP (my
IP address).  It will pause for a few seconds and then print the
following:

boot: #c/hostowner: bad arg in system call
panic: boot process died: unknown
... <- several rows and columns of numbers
exiting

In the file /sys/src/9/boot/key.c in key() there is a sequence of
code:

        /* set host's key */
        if(writefile("#c/key", safe.machkey, DESKEYLEN) < 0)
                fatal("#c/key");

        /* set host's owner (and uid of current process) */
        if(writefile("#c/hostowner", safe.authid, strlen(safe.authid)) < 0)
                fatal("#c/hostowner");

        /* set host's domain */
        if(writefile("#c/hostdomain", safe.authdom, strlen(safe.authdom)) < 0)
                fatal("#c/hostdomain"); 

I believe that when it goes to write hostowner, it's failing either on
the open() or write().  I guess there isn't a problem with writing the
key file, but I not sure how to verify this.

Any ideas on how to proceed?

Eric V. Blood
eblood@cs...., http://www.cs.unr.edu/~eblood