Single user mode exits unexpectedly

[Janos Dohanics]

On Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:39:41 +0100
Polytropon <freebsd at edvax.de> wrote:

> On Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:57:04 -0500, Janos Dohanics wrote:
> > I have just rebuilt world and kernel according to the Handbook,
> > installed the new kernel, rebooted, logged in, issued "sudo shutdown
> > now" - the machine entered single user mode, then immediately exited
> > without any intervention by me and continued to boot into multiuser
> > mode.
> 
> That's not the procedure required. From the comment section
> of /usr/src/Makefile:
> 
>  1.  `cd /usr/src'       (or to the directory containing your source
> tree).
>  2.  `make buildworld'
>  3.  `make buildkernel KERNCONF=YOUR_KERNEL_HERE'     (default is
> GENERIC).
>  4.  `make installkernel KERNCONF=YOUR_KERNEL_HERE'   (default is
> GENERIC). [steps 3. & 4. can be combined by using the "kernel" target]
>  5.  `reboot'        (in single user mode: boot -s from the loader
> prompt).
>  6.  `mergemaster -p'
>  7.  `make installworld'
>  8.  `make delete-old'
>  9.  `mergemaster'            (you may wish to use -i, along with -U
> or -F).
> 10.  `reboot'
> 11.  `make delete-old-libs' (in case no 3rd party program uses them
> anymore)
> 
> Step 5: reboot _into_ single user mode. After installing
> the kernel and shutting down the system, let it come up
> to the kernel loader. You can enter that stage by pressing
> the space bar several times. If I remember correctly,
> you'll then see prompt

You are right, the Handbook says "Reboot into single user mode", and I
should have just followed it. Nonetheless, I used to reboot normally,
and then drop in single user mode - can't remember ever seeing this
problem.

Thank you, I'll try it next time I'm at that machine...

-- 
Janos Dohanics