The following reply was made to PR bin/32903; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: i18rabbit@cwazy.co.uk
To: gnats-bugs@netbsd.org
Cc: 
Subject: Re: bin/32903: utmp remains empty
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 00:16:21 GMT

 >  |  >  >  utmp entries are created by ssh logins and reboots/shutdowns,
 >  |  >  >  but not for *any* console or telnet logins.  this is the problem.
 >  |  >
 >  |  >  Yes, but it's not a problem on a properly-installed NetBSD 3.0 system.
 >  |  >
 >  |  >  >  because i maintain several BSD systems, and i have
 >  |  >  >  a stripped custom /etc directory that i use for
 >  |  >  >  all of them; for ease of set-up and maintenance.
 >  |  >
 >  |  >  That strikes me as a bad idea. You should've said that originally... In
 >  |  >  that case, all I can say is that you're on your own if your custom
 >  |  >  modifications cause things to break.
 >  |
 >  |  my "custom modifications" worked with the NetBSD 2 series.
 >  |  besides - since when aren't "custom modifications" allowed?
 >  |  bringing up a UNIX system is a fairly generic routine.
 >  |
 >  |  to the best of my memory (7 years or so), the kernel spawns
 >  |  init, which spawns getty's, which spawn login's - which write
 >  |  to utmp/wtmp files; all which are running as root.
 >  |
 >  |  my "custom modifications" (who does NOT have any of those?)
 >  |  shouldn't be relevant.  what would be relevant is for someone
 >  |  with knowledge of login(1) to state a test that can be done
 >  |  to resolve the problem of login(1) not writing to utmp/wtmp
 >  |  files.  it shouldn't be too complicated to resolve this.
 > 
 >  Do you have /etc/pam.d?
 
 no, i have a /etc/pam.conf.  but i don't see how that is relevant.
 i can run login manually - and according to the login(1) manpage,
 that should be sufficient to make utmp entries.
 
 # service + type        control     module          arguments
 # ######### ########### ########### ############### ###############
 # prog name account     requisite   : failure = auth termination.
 #    or     auth        required    : failure = try next auth, if any.
 #  "other"  password    sufficient  : success = OK, unless previous failed.
 # (default) session     optional    : success only important if last auth.
 # ######### ########### ########### ############### ############### 
 
 other       account     required    pam_unix.so     try_first_pass
 other       auth        required    pam_unix.so     try_first_pass
 other       password    required    pam_unix.so     try_first_pass
 other       session     required    pam_permit.so