[lug] ssh login error

[Hugh Brown]

D. Stimits wrote:
> There is an sshd error sometimes occuring on logins to a centos 4.4 
> server. The error shows up in several google searches, but I'm at a loss 
> figuring out why it is happening. The error showing up in /var/log/secure:
> error: openpty: No such file or directory
> error: session_pty_req: session 0 alloc failed
> 
> It does not always occur. For a long time I had it stopped by using bash 
> login, whereas it had failed more often under tcsh before. I can remove 
> the init files of the shell, and it still happens, though less often. I 
> can create pty's via MAKEDEV, it still happens. There was one hint that 
> if I add to the kernel boot line:
> devfs=mount
> ...that it would fix it, but I have the fstab entry:
> none     /dev/pts    devpts  gid=5,mode=620  0 0
> 
> So this should not matter, and if it did, it should always be a problem, 
> not mysteriously showing up some days but not others. I have all of the 
> ptys, and I have the devpts mount line. sshd is kept up to date. The 
> kernel is the stock centos 4.4 kernel with yum update. Can anyone 
> suggest what the source of this problem is? I know it can't make a pty, 
> I guess I'm wondering how that could even happen. I'm a bit frustrated 
> by it, and despite how painful it would be, I'm tempted to just 
> reinstall using fedora instead (the server has been up for a month, and 
> I had thought it was about ready).
> 
> D. Stimits, stimits AT comcast DOT net


I don't know why it would do that.  If I were to guess, I'd say it 
sounds like a security limit has been set on concurrent sessions and 
that the limit has been reached (imagine the sound of straws being 
grasped at).

Hugh