[Pkg-sysvinit-devel] Bug#391914: do not remove /etc/nologin

[Petter Reinholdtsen]

[ Claus Boje ]
> rmnologin do not remove /etc/nologin but it 
> remove /var/lib/initscripts/nologin

That is correct.  The initscripts postinst create /etc/nologin as a
symlink to /var/lib/initscripts/nologin.  The
/var/lib/initscripts/nologin is created by the /etc/init.d/bootmisc.sh
during boot if the DELAYLOGIN flag is set, and the same file is
removed by /etc/init.d/rmnologin.  This was changed from the previous
behavior in version 2.86.ds1-8 to avoid writing to /etc/ during boot,
and thus make it easier to boot from a stateless workstation (with
read-only /).  This was the changelog entry for the change:

  * No longer keep the dynamic nologin flag file on the root filesystem;
    instead, keep it at /var/lib/initscripts/nologin.  Note to admins:
    initscripts's postinst symlinks /etc/nologin to the latter location.
    To switch login delaying on or off permanently, set DELAYLOGIN=no in
    /etc/default/rcS and either create or delete (respectively)
    /var/lib/initscripts/nologin.

What kind of problems are you experiencing because of this change?

Friendly,
-- 
Petter Reinholdtsen