[SunHELP] CDE error - DT messaging system could not be started

[Lillie Forbes]

Problem Description:
1.  Systems boot up fine, no errors, no warnings
2.  Prompts for username/password Login (Manager) 
display
3.  Takes input username/password and starts 
bringing up CDE display 
and session
4.  After you see a CDE desktop display ( nothing 
else), following error message is displayed in a pop-
up window and you are blocked. All you can do is to 
press OK and it takes you back to Login (Manager) 
display.


DT messaging system could not be started.
To correct the problem
1.  chose Ok to return to the login screen
2.  select failsafe session from the login screen's 
option menu and login.
3.  Check to see that the host name is correct in 
these locations

/etc/src.sh
/etc/hosts
/usr/adm/inet.sec
 For additional information see the DT users guide


The only files that exist on my host is 
the /etc/hosts file, and was correctly configured. I 
could ping the entire host table without any 
problems. 

I then noticed that a previous post to this list by 
Abdul Qayyum, gave my a big hint to what might be 
the problem. I always comment out everything in 
my /etc/inetd.conf file, as well as shut down 
certain startup scripts launched by the init 
process. 

/etc/rc2.d 
S73nfs.client - used for NFS mounting a system. A 
firewall should never mount another file system. 
S74autofs - used for automounting, once again, a 
firewall should never mount another file system. 
S80lp - used for printing, your firewall should 
never need to print. 
S88sendmail - listens for incoming email. Your 
system can still send mail (such as alerts) with 
this disabled. 
S71rpc - portmapper daemon, a highly insecure 
service (required if you are running CDE). 
S99dtlogin - CDE daemon, starts CDE by default 
/etc/rc3.d 
S15nfs.server - used to share file systems, a bad 
idea for firewalls. 
S76snmpdx - snmp daemon 


I  ran the following command, and uncommented the 
bottom entries of my /etc/inetd.conf file:

#grep -v "^#" /etc/inetd.conf

100232/10       tli     rpc/udp wait 
root /usr/sbin/sadmind     sadmind
rquotad/1       tli     rpc/datagram_v  wait 
root /usr/lib/nfs/rquotad  rquotad
rstatd/2-4      tli   rpc/datagram_v wait 
root /usr/lib/netsvc/rstat/rpc.rstatd rpc.rstatd
100083/1        tli     rpc/tcp wait 
root /usr/dt/bin/rpc.ttdbserverd rpc.ttdbserverd
100221/1        tli     rpc/tcp wait 
root /usr/openwin/bin/kcms_server  kcms_server
fs              stream  tcp     wait 
nobody /usr/openwin/lib/fs.auto    fs
100235/1 tli rpc/tcp wait 
root /usr/lib/fs/cachefs/cachefsd cachefsd
100134/1        tli     rpc/ticotsord   wait    
root    /usr/lib/krb5/ktkt_warnd ktkt_warnd
100234/1        tli     rpc/ticotsord   wait    
root    /usr/lib/gss/gssd gssd 
100146/1        tli     rpc/ticotsord   wait    
root    /usr/lib/security/amiserv       amiserv
100147/1        tli     rpc/ticotsord   wait    
root    /usr/lib/security/amiserv       amiserv
100150/1        tli     rpc/ticotsord   wait    
root    /usr/sbin/ocfserv       ocfserv
dtspc stream tcp nowait 
root /usr/dt/bin/dtspcd /usr/dt/bin/dtspcd
100068/2-5 dgram rpc/udp wait 
root /usr/dt/bin/rpc.cmsd rpc.cmsd
100153/1     dgram   rpc/udp wait 
root /opt/SUNWvts/bin/sunvts /opt/SUNWvts/bin/sunvts 
-g 
100229/1        tli     rpc/tcp         wait    
root    /usr/sbin/rpc.metad     rpc.metad
100230/1        tli     rpc/tcp         wait    
root    /usr/sbin/rpc.metamhd   rpc.metamhd


After this, I rebooted the machine, and was able to 
logon onto the host using CDE. Thanks Abdul Qayyum, 
for being so thorough with your troubleshooting !!!


Lillie Forbes