UID is -1, can't login?

[Rob Landley]

On Tuesday 27 June 2006 4:27 pm, Joshua ChaitinPollak wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm having a strange problem with Busybox 1.1.0 and 1.1.3. When my
> system boots, I get the login prompt, I type my username, and then I
> get this error:
>
> login: This applet requires root priviledges!
>
> So I hacked applets/applets.c to add this line:
>
> 	if (geteuid() != 0) {
> +		fprintf(stderr, "Effective UID = %d, ruid = %d\n", geteuid(), ruid);
> 		bb_error_msg_and_die("This applet require root priviledges!");
> 	}
>
> What I get when I run this is:
>
> Soekris login: root
> Effective UID = -1, ruid = -1
> login: This applet requires root priviledges!

Huh, geteuid() is _failing_.  That's nice.  Is there an errno?

The man page says "these functions are always successful", which is just 
WEIRD.  What libc are you using, and what kernel version?

> What would cause my uid to be -1???

Do you have an /etc/passwd?  (If so, is it readable?)  A stab in the dark...

Rob
-- 
Never bet against the cheap plastic solution.