Common UUCP error messages
This section lists the error messages associated with
UUCP. There are two types of error
messages. ASSERT errors are recorded in the
/usr/spool/uucp/.Admin/errors file. STATUS errors are
recorded in individual machine files found in the
/usr/spool/uucp/.Status directory.
Error messages are also stored in
/usr/spool/uucp/.Log/uucico/sysname.
When a process is aborted, ASSERT error messages are recorded in /usr/spool/uucp/.Admin/errors. These messages include the filename, SCCS ID, line number, and text. In most cases, these errors are the result of filesystem problems. Use errno (when present) to investigate the problem. If errno is present in a message, it is shown as ``()'' in this list.
Table 7-3 ASSERT error messages
--------------------------------------------------------------
Error message Description or action
--------------------------------------------------------------
CAN'T OPEN An open() or fopen() failed. Check for
the presence of the file and incorrect
permissions.
CAN'T WRITE A write(), fwrite(), fprint(), and so on
failed. Check for the presence of the
file and incorrect permissions.
CAN'T READ A read(), fgets(), and so on failed.
Check for the presence of the file and
incorrect permissions.
CAN'T CREATE A create() call failed. Check permissions.
CAN'T ALLOCATE A dynamic allocation failed.
CAN'T LOCK An attempt to make a LCK (lock) file
failed. In some cases, this is a fatal
error.
CAN'T STAT A stat() call failed. Check for the
presence of the file and incorrect
permissions.
CAN'T CHMOD A chmod() call failed. Check for the
presence of the file and incorrect
permissions.
CAN'T LINK A link() call failed. Check for the
presence of the file and incorrect
permissions.
CAN'T CHDIR A chdir() call failed. Check for the
presence of the file and incorrect
permissions.
CAN'T UNLINK An unlink() call failed.
WRONG ROLE This is an internal logic problem.
CAN'T MOVE TO An attempt to move some bad C. or X. files
CORRUPTDIR to the /usr/spool/uucp/.Corrupt directory
failed. The directory is probably missing
or has wrong modes or owner.
CAN'T CLOSE A close() or fclose() call failed.
FILE EXISTS The creation of a C. or D. file is
attempted, but the file exists. This
occurs when there is a problem with the
sequence file access. Usually indicates a
software error.
No uucp server A TCP/IP call is attempted, but there is
no server for UUCP.
BAD UID The uid cannot be found in the /etc/passwd
file. The filesystem is in trouble, or
the /etc/passwd file is inconsistent.
ULIMIT TOO SMALL The ulimit for the current user process is
too small. File transfers may fail, so
transfer is not attempted.
BAD LINE There is a bad line in the Devices file;
there are not enough arguments on one or
more lines.
FSTAT FAILED There is something wrong with the Ethernet
IN EWRDATA media.
SYSLST OVERFLOW An internal table in gename.c overflowed.
A big or strange request was attempted.
TOO MANY SAVED Same as previous message.
C FILES
RETURN FROM An ioctl, which should never fail, failed.
fixline ioctl There is a system driver problem.
BAD SPEED A bad line speed appears in the Devices or
Systems file (``Class'' field).
PERMISSIONS file: There is a bad line or option in the
BAD OPTION Permissions file.
PKCGET READ The remote machine probably hung up. No
action need be taken.
PKXSTART The remote machine aborted in a non-
recoverable way. This can generally be
ignored.
SYSTAT OPEN FAIL There is a problem with the modes of
/usr/lib/uucp/.Status, or there is a file
with bad modes in the directory.
TOO MANY LOCKS There is an internal problem!
XMV ERROR There is a problem with some file or
directory. It is probably the spool
directory, because the modes of the
destinations were supposed to be checked
before this process was attempted.
CAN'T FORK An attempt to fork(S) and exec(S) failed.
The current job should not be lost, but is
attempted later (uuxqt). No action need be
taken.
UUCP STATUS error messages are messages that are stored in the
/usr/spool/uucp/.Status directory. This directory
contains a separate file for each remote machine that
your system attempts to communicate with. These individual
machine files contain status information on the attempted
communication, and whether it was successful or not.
A list of the most common error messages
that can appear in these files follows.
Table 7-4 STATUS error messages
--------------------------------------------------------------
Error message Description or action
--------------------------------------------------------------
OK Self explanatory.
NO DEVICES AVAILABLE There is currently no device available
for the call. Check to see that there
is a valid device in the Devices file
for the particular system. Check the
Systems file for the device to be used
to call the system.
WRONG TIME TO CALL A call was placed to the system at a
time other than what is specified in
the Systems file.
TALKING Self explanatory.
LOGIN FAILED The login for the given machine
failed. It could be a wrong login or
password, wrong number, a very slow
machine, or failure in getting through
the dialer-token script.
CONVERSATION FAILED The conversation failed after
successful startup. This usually
means that one side went down, the
program aborted, or the line (link)
was dropped.
DIAL FAILED The remote machine never answered. It
could be a bad dialer or the wrong
phone number.
BAD LOGIN/MACHINE The machine called us with a login or
COMBINATION machine name that does not agree with
the Permissions file. This could be
an attempt to masquerade!
DEVICE LOCKED The calling device to be used is
currently locked and in use by another
process.
ASSERT ERROR An ASSERT error occurred. Check the
/usr/spool/uucp/.Admin/errors file for
the error message and refer to
``Common UUCP error messages''
SYSTEM NOT IN Systems The system is not in the Systems file.
CAN'T ACCESS DEVICE The device tried does not exist or the
modes are wrong. Check the
appropriate entries in the Systems and
Devices files.
DEVICE FAILED The opening of the device failed.
WRONG MACHINE NAME The called machine is reporting a
different name than expected.
CALLBACK REQUIRED The called machine requires that it
calls your system.
REMOTE HAS A LCK The remote site has a lock file for
FILE FOR ME your system. They could be trying to
call your machine. If they have an
older version of UUCP, the process
that was talking to your machine may
have failed leaving the lock file. If
they have the new version of UUCP and
they are not communicating with your
system, then the process that has a
lock file is hung. This can also be
caused by incorrect permissions in the
/usr/spool/uucp path on the remote
system, or cleared uucico SUID bit.
REMOTE DOES NOT The remote machine does not have the
KNOW ME node name of your system in its
Systems file.
REMOTE REJECT The login used by your system to log
AFTER LOGIN in does not agree with what the remote
machine was expecting. Check the
Permissions file on the remote system.
REMOTE REJECT, The remote machine rejected the
UNKNOWN MESSAGE communication with your system for an
unknown reason. The remote machine
may not be running a standard version
of UUCP.
STARTUP FAILED Login succeeded, but initial handshake
failed. Check communication
parameters: data word size, parity,
stop bits, and so on.
CALLER SCRIPT FAILED This is usually the same as DIAL
FAILED. However, if it occurs often,
suspect the caller script in the
Dialers file. Use uutry to check.