elementary problems

[Steve Lamont]

In article <2919 at odin.SGI.COM> jweldon at renegade.sgi.com (Jack Weldon) writes:
>In article <310 at nbivax.nbi.dk> gajhede at nbivax.nbi.dk (M.Gajhede Dept. Phys. Chem. HCO, Copenhagen DK) writes:
>>2. I get an error from the windows server when trying to log in
>>after creating a resolv.conf file:
>>domain dk
>>nameserver 129.142.96.42
>>no problem to log in from telnet connected terminal
>
>Sounds like the window server is not getting the correct resolution from DNS.
>Use nslookup(1C) to determine what your nameserver is responding with.

This sounds similar to a problem that's been driving us bats here.  Maybe
someone can help:

Our machine goes graphically catatonic when the nameserver dies on us.  If a
person is already logged on and has several windows open, everything still
works in the already opened windows, but no new windows may be created.  It
seems that every time a new wsh is spawned, the wsh has to look up who it is
running on so that it can talk to the window manager. 

If you are not logged on and attempt to do so, the screen will blank, a white
cursor arrow will appear for a moment or two, and then the screen returns to
the login prompt with a message to the effect that the window manager has
exited with an error (or status, I don't recall the precise wording) code of
1.  Effectively, the machine become useless, graphically, until the nameserver
returns from the dead.

Is there any easy (or not so easy) way to make the machine default back to
host tables or in some other manner figure out who it is so that it can open a
graphic window?

BTW, we have a 4D/280GTX running 3.2.  We have the idiot pandora stuff turned
off at login and don't use WorkSpace if we can avoid it (I could rant at
length about turning a powerful computer into a Macintosh, but I'll leave it
at for an experienced UNIX user; e.g., one with more than five minutes
experience, silly graphical interfaces are more of a hinderance than a help).

Thanks and mumble, mumble.

							spl (the p stands for
							President of Pandora
							Haters, Unanimous,
							supercomputing
							division)

-- 
Steve Lamont, sciViGuy	(919) 248-1120		EMail:	spl at ncsc.org
NCSC, Box 12732, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
"That's People's Commissioner Tirebiter -- and NOBODY'S sweetheart!"
					- F. Scott Firesign