Login environment ghosts

From: Wendy Fong <wfong_at_synacom.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 1999 19:16:26 -0700

We found an odd occurrence. Maybe someone can explain this.
The dba account is /bin/ksh.

1. Logged on to a DU4.0d PK3 4100 using the dba uid on my PC.
     The .profile env/aliases were set as per our current running apps.
2. sqlplus was core dumping every minute on the Oracle install.
     When we looked at the core file, we found the env from the
     current login. That was expected. I should mention that the
     .profile was calling another file with our env/aliases in it.
3. Logged on at the console using the dba uid. Changed the dba's
     .profile to plain vanilla with the minimum env, aliases and
     ulimits that Oracle requires for the install.
4. Meanwhile, my PC is still logged on with the dba uid and old env.
5. Logged off console. Logged back on to console with dba uid
     and new env and aliases. Checked env and aliases. They were
     the new ones. Ran the Oracle install. More sqlplus core dumps.
     Looked at the core files and found that the old env and aliases
     were still there. Logged off PC, but not console, and went home.
6. Morning. Ran the Oracle install again. Thinking that the old dba
     login on the PC might have affected something. More sqlplus
     core files. Looked at the core files and again found the old env
     and aliases. This time only one dba was logged in. We changed
     the name of the file called by the old .profile (see #2), logged out
     and logged back in. Now the Oracle install worked just fine.

The questions, finally.
1. Why did the old env and aliases reappear when we ran the Oracle
     install even though we had changed the .profile, logged out and
     re-logged in? And no, other "dot" files did not reference the
     old env file.
2. Why did it take a rename of the file called by the old .profile to get
     rid of the old env and aliases?
3. Would having an concurrent login with the old env have any effect?

This is really strange. I hope someone has an answer. A good puzzle.

wendy

=====================
Wendy Fong
wfong_at_synacom.com
408.296.0303

UNIX is very user friendly,
it's just very particular about
who it makes friends with.
=====================
Received on Sat Oct 23 1999 - 02:26:14 NZDT

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