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From: dubois@rhesus.UUCP (Paul DuBois)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.ultrix
Subject: Re: 'f' dumping core
Message-ID: <8404@felix.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Oct-87 12:13:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: felix.8404
Posted: Tue Oct  6 12:13:21 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 10-Oct-87 10:50:01 EDT
References: <8253@felix.UUCP>
Sender: zemon@felix.UUCP
Organization: The Ancient Harmonies
Lines: 14
Keywords: fix
Approved: zemon@felix.UUCP (Art Zemon)

I posted a message recently about 'f' dumping core occasionally, and
then fixing itself later.  Thanks to Gordon Vickers for the clue to
the fix.  The GECOS field of the passwd entry can be corrupted in such
a way that f bombs.  In my case, one of the subfields was a couple of
characters too long.  Shortening it fixed everything up.

So, presumably the momemtary core dumping occurred while the user
with that login was on the system, and desisted when he logged out.

---
Paul DuBois     UUCP: {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!rhesus!dubois    |
                ARPA: dubois@rhesus.primate.wisc.edu              --+--
                                                                    |
"Suffering is the finger exercising of the spirit." - Mr. Theo      |