Explain the NeXTStation "dim monitor" problem, etc...

From: Carl Lowenstein <cdl_at_proxima.ucsd.edu>
Date: Wed Apr 17 13:30:29 2002

> From: Christopher Smith <csmith_at_amdocs.com>
> To: "Classiccmp (E-mail)" <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Explain the NeXTStation "dim monitor" problem, etc...
> Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 10:59:52 -0500
> Sender: owner-classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
> Reply-To: classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
>
> Ok, I've got my NeXTStation working, but I'm in need of some
> advice.
>
> First off -- can somebody explain the common problem with the
> monitors going dim? Can I fix it? (How?) Is there an internal
> "intensity" pot that I can adjust to get more life out of the
> monitor? It is just bright enough not to strain your eyes at
> the highest brightness setting right now... (It's B&W)

NeXT bought the monitors from Sony. Sony bought CRTs that had
a limited cathode life. The cathodes have mostly expired by now.

> Next, can anyone tell me why, after booting into single user mode,
> and changing the root password with 'nu -m' I might still be
> refused a login next time I boot?
>
> I was able to get in once yesterday, after which I tried this morning
> and was refused. I booted to single user mode again -- looked at the
> current password hash, changed the password again (the hash turned out
> different, but I'm not sure that means much really, and could just be
> different "salt"), booted again normally, and still couldn't get in.

The password file "/etc/passwd" is not used any time that NetInfo is
running, which is nearly all the time. A few minutes ago I posted a
method to modify the NetInfo view of the root password, using
nidump and niload.
>
> A) It's getting another password from somewhere and overwriting the
> one I put in? (I hope not.. :)

Yes. The password file that is actually used is stored inside
the NetInfo database.
>
> B) Something's not starting right during boot right now, and it needs
> this to log people into the system? (More likely, I think...)
>
> It does still want to connect to the network, and complains about not
> being able to talk to several machines when it boots. I'm not sure
> whether this would make a difference, or how I would convince it not to
> do this. :) Any suggestions?

More NetInfo stuff. You need to reset the database so that the computer
does not know about its previous life.

Look on the net for the NeXT FAQ. It will help a lot.

First place I found using a Google search is
< http://www.non.com/news.answers/NeXT-FAQ.html >

carl
-- 
        carl lowenstein   marine physical lab   u.c. san diego
                                          clowenstein_at_ucsd.edu
Received on Wed Apr 17 2002 - 13:30:29 BST

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