I've just updated the FAQ entry on single user mode - it will show
	up shortly under
	http://www.netbsd.org/Documentation/misc/index.html#why-single-user
	but in the meantime I'll include it here - let me know if you have
	any questions/comments!

  What is single-user mode, why, and how?

          'single-user' mode is when the kernel has booted, but only runs
          a single shell on the console. If you boot single user only the
          root filesystem will be mounted, and it will be mounted
          read-only. Among the many uses for single-user mode are:

          + fsck your filesystem due to suspected corruption.
          + edit corrupted system configuration files in /etc.
          + install a new set of binaries which you downloaded or
            compiled yourself.
          + make a backup of your filesystem without worrying about
            interference from user processes.

          You can enter single user mode by running 'shutdown now' as
          root on a running system, or by booting the system with the
          '-s' flag (the method for doing this varies from port to port).

          Once booted single user you may find some of the following
          commands useful:

          + fsck -p ; mount -va
            Check the filesystems with fsck(8), then make them available
            with mount(8).
          + set -E
            Enable command line editing.
          + TERM=vt220 ; export TERM
            Set and export the TERM variable, to permit editors such as
            'vi' to work. Note: You may need to use a different terminal
            type from 'vt220', depending on the console type.
          + sh /etc/netstart
            Bring up the network. If you have any nfs mounted filesystems
            you may want to do this before the fsck and mount.

		David/absolute

	 -=-  "That which does not kill us, makes us stranger"  -=-

On Wed, 2 Jun 1999, Brad wrote:

> Thanks to everyone for replying, what ended up working was:
> 
> boot 3/rz2/netbsd -s
> 
> at the ">>" prompt (thanks Greg!)  but from here i don't have alot of things
> i should have like man, ftp, things like that. /usr is empty, and i'm
> guessing that's a "Bad Thing" ;) anyway, how do i mount /usr?
> 
> thanks again,
> brad
> 
> >If you just removed the entry from master.passwd, you need to rebuild
> >the password database with a command like:
> >
> > pwd_mkdb -p /etc/master.passwd
> >
> >/usr will of course need to be mounted for this...
> >
> >- ad
> >
> >David Brownlee wrote:
> >>
> >>         Can you recall what you have changed/installed (even in general
> >>         terms) since you last positively know you were able to login as
> >>         root.
> >>
> >>         Can you login as a normal user and 'su'.
> >>
> >>         Can you boot into single user and see if the 'root' line in
> >>         /etc/master.passwd starts 'root::'?
> >>
> >>                 David/absolute
> >>
> >>                       Neighbours should be one of:
> >>                 a) Understanding   b) Distant   c) Deaf
> >>
> >> On Tue, 1 Jun 1999, Brad Henry wrote:
> >>
> >> > Hey Andy, thanks for the warning about HTML email, i normally set up
> the
> >> > client to use plain text, this time i guess i didn't :)
> >> >
> >> > sorry, i might not have been clear about this, but the problem isn't
> with
> >> > logging in from remote, it's when i try to log in directly on the
> terminal.
> >> > Any ideas?
> >> >
> >> > thanks,
> >> > brad
> >> >
> >> > ----- Original Message -----
> >> > From: Andy Doran <ad@fionn.sports.gov.uk>
> >> > To: Brad <bnh@dimension6.com>
> >> > Cc: <port-pmax@netbsd.org>
> >> > Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 1999 2:40 AM
> >> > Subject: Re: root account inaccessable
> >> > >
> >> > > > Brad wrote:
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Hello, ihave a DECstation 5000/120 that I bought from my
> University.
> >> > > > it came installed with netBSD 1.3.1, and just the root account
> setup
> >> > > > with no password. I've been playing with it for awhile, nd now that
> >> > > > i've tried setting it up on my network, (a cablemodem, linux box
> and a
> >> > > > windows box) when i try to login as root it asks me for a password,
> >> > > > which i've never set. does anyone know how i can get past this or
> >> > > > possibly netboot using the linux box so i can do a network install
> of
> >> > > > netBSD to clear this up?
> >> > >
> >> > > [...]
> >> > >
> >> > > > May 30 16:57:36 netmachine /netbsd: scc0,1: silo overflow
> >> > > >
> >> > > > does anyone know what this is and is it possibly related?
> >> > >
> >> > > Upgrading to 1.4 may help, I don't know...
> >> > >
> >> > > - ad
> >> > >
> >> >
> >
> 
>