HowTo: Enable console login for OpenVZ Debian containers (V2.2 and later)

[tom]

Update: See Wiki article on http://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/OpenVZ_Console
____

Beginning with V2.2 (already available in pvetest repo) we implemented a new OpenVZ console.

If you start the console for an existing OpenVZ Debian container you cannot login by default - see screenshot.


In order to enable login, just do the following:

Login via SSH on your Proxmox VE host and 'enter' the container, and open /etc/inittab:

proxmox-ve:~# vzlist
      CTID      NPROC STATUS    IP_ADDR         HOSTNAME
       107         13 running   192.168.9.100   debian6.maurer-it.com
       108         29 running   192.168.9.101   debian.maurer-it.com
proxmox-ve:~# vzctl enter 108
entered into CT 108
root@debian:/# nano /etc/inittab

On the bottom of /etc/inittab just add the following line, save and poweroff the container:

1:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty1

now, start the container again by clicking on "start" on the console window and voila, now you can login! see screenshot.

 

[peterx]

Thank you Tom. It works. But on older openvz ct's based on turnkey ubuntu versions I can't find /etc/inittab.
What now, dear Tom?

Peter

 

[tom]

what are "older turnkey" versions? I suggest you contact the creator of the template.

 

[villain666]

On latest ubuntu you must use upstart config file in /etc/init/ directory ...

 

[peterx]

I mean Turnkey openvz before they turned from ubuntu to debian.
Openvz containers based on ubuntu downloaded at the time from the Proxmox website either don't have the inittab file. In that case: where do I put your line to be able to use the console.
Peter

 

[peterx]

Thank you villain666. i tried your proposal on a openvz container ubuntu 10.04.4 LTS. But I found no way to make the console work.

 

[tom]

console should work (but no login) - is this true?

as a workaround, just do the following:
- open the shell of the host and just use "vzctl enter CTID"
- or use ssh to access your CT

 

[peterx]

That's right, Tom. I get the console but I can't login. I will use the workarounds.
Thank you for your support. proxmox rocks!!
Peter

 

[mir]

That's right, Tom. I get the console but I can't login.
Peter

You login as root using the password chosen when creating the container?
ssh root@IP

 

[bazzi]

And with CentOS(5 and 6) packages it seems not to work. What need I to do to fix that? I search but I can't find anything on internet.
Maybe add an option to choice between console and "vzctl enter"?

 

[dietmar]

Centos6 uses upstart, and you need a working /etc/init/tty.conf - for example:

# This service maintains a getty on tty1 from the point the system is
# started until it is shut down again.

start on stopped rc RUNLEVEL=[2345]

stop on runlevel [!2345]

respawn
exec /sbin/agetty -8 tty1 38400

 

[dietmar]

Ubuntu uses upstart, and does not start terminals inside openvz containers by default.

You need to modify /etc/init/tty1.conf

# tty1 - getty
#
# This service maintains a getty on tty1 from the point the system is
# started until it is shut down again.

start on stopped rc RUNLEVEL=[2345]

stop on runlevel [!2345]

respawn
exec /sbin/getty -8 38400 tty1

 

[dietmar]

For CentOS5, you need to have the following line in /etc/inittab

1:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty tty1 38400 linux

 

[tom]

see also the new wiki article - http://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/OpenVZ_Console

 

[bazzi]

Thanks for the quick response!

 

[zenny]

Thanks PM-development team. It seems like a neat feature.

 

[c0mputerking]

Don't really see the point in this, i guess i might be nice to login as someother than root, but since you are root you can login to whatever account you wish. Plus without copy/paste auto login as root seemed about the only advantage to proxmox console. Guess i will just keep using putty

 

[tom]

Don't really see the point in this, i guess i might be nice to login as someother than root, but since you are root you can login to whatever account you wish. Plus without copy/paste auto login as root seemed about the only advantage to proxmox console. Guess i will just keep using putty

the console show startup logs - very useful. also, you can login to your container without a running network configuration (e.g. if you need to configure veth)

with ssh (putty), you can only enter if the network is running or if you are root on the host (vzctl enter CTID).

 

[Chris Rivera]

if a client looses their password... is it possible to reboot the vm and log in as single mode to reset their password?

if so thats great... if not thats a problem...

let me know thanks.

 

[dietmar]

if a client looses their password... is it possible to reboot the vm and log in as single mode to reset their password?

'vzctl enter <VMID>' is your friend.