There are various causes of the tty "respawning too rapidly" error, from cabling problems to corrupt configuration files. This document contains a list of possible causes with suggestions for resolving the problem. This document applies to AIX versions 3.1 - 3.2 and 4.x.
In general, the "respawning too rapidly" message is sent by the system to warn users that there is a problem on the tty port and that too many gettys, or "login heralds," have been requested for that port.
One exception to this error exists when upgrading to AIX level 4.2 or 4.3. This exception appears as a tty_respawn error to the system console and occurs because of an entry in the /etc/security/limits file. This entry could exist in the default stanza or the root stanza. Consider the following example: this file with the root cpu entry set to 0 will cause this error.
default: fsize = 2097151 core = 2048 cpu = 3600 data = 262144 rss = 65536 stack = 8192 root: cpu = 0
Remove the cpu = 0 from the stanza so the system will boot correctly and
provide a login on the console. Or, you may still have the "unlimited" setting for the "cpu =" option rather than
removing the option altogether from the /etc/security/limits file. Change it to the standard setting for "unlimited,"
which in AIX 4.3.2 and 4.3.3 is -1, as in cpu = -1.
See Causes and suggestions - number 5
The following scenario shows how the respawing error may occur. Note that the timing numbers shown below may change in later versions of AIX.
Note: You can duplicate this yourself by logging in and out of the terminal several times very quickly within the above mentioned time span.
Note: PTF IX37168 changes the amount of time that the port is suspended from 19 minutes to a maximum of 240 seconds.
Suggestions for HAYES compatible modems:
Suggestions:
Suggestions:
Suggestions:
Suggestions:
Note: Certain buffer errors can be caused by faulty hardware.
Suggestions:
Suggestions:
Suggestions:
If the system permanently shuts down the tty port, the system administrator may need to reboot or run the following program.
In the following code, some characters may appear incorrectly. If the characters in the following list do not match their description, be sure to change them in the code.
(Code begins on next page.)
/* CLEARTTY.c
Program to attempt a reset of tty port without rebooting.
To test the effectiveness of this program, do the following
both before and after running cleartty:
pdisable tty0
echo "tty tty0" | crash > crash.out
NOTE: If tty0 is on a 16-port concentrator off a 64-port Async
Adapter, you would replace "tty0" with "tty0/0".
Edit the "crash.out" file created above and look at the
"port status" line. A normal, "disabled" port should have
a status of "iclose ccnt=0".
______________________________________________________________________
To create program:
o "vi cleartty.c"
o enter the following C program and save the file
To compile program: "cc -o cleartty cleartty.c"
To execute program: "cleartty /dev/tty0"
______________________________________________________________________ */
/* PROGRAM BEGINS HERE */
#include <errno.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <termios.h>
main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
int fd;
if (argc < 2) {
fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s /dev/tty?
", argv[0]);
exit(1);
}
if ((fd = open(argv[1], O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK)) < 0) {
perror(argv[1]);
exit(errno);
}
if (tcflow(fd, TCOON) < 0) {
perror("tcflow");
exit(errno);
}
close(fd);
exit(0);
}
/* PROGRAM ENDS HERE */
[ Doc Ref: 90605225114678 Publish Date: Feb. 05, 2001 4FAX Ref: 8255 ]