error creating the child process for this terminal

[Thomas Kaiser]

On 08/27/2009 01:09 PM, sam R wrote:
> 
> 
> The problem started when upgraded my OS from Ubuntu 8.10 to 9.04.
> 
> 
> 
> 1- When I launch Terminal window I get this message and can't type anything.
> 
> “There was an error creating the child process for this terminal”
> 
> 
> 2- when I try to update any package through *Update Manager *I get this 
> message
> 
> “Error failed to fork pty”
> 
> 
> Now, since Ubuntu doesn't allow you to sign-in as root from the start-up 
> GUI window, I'm having a problem modifying files to fix the* Terminal 
> and Update Manager errors.*
> 
> 
> Can someone help me please? Any suggestion?

I got the same problem after I upgraded my Laptop to 9.04. For a unknown 
reason /dev/pts is not automatically mounted anymore.

So, each time I reboot I have to mount /dev/pts manually and I do this 
by changing to virtual terminal. (CTRL+ALT+F1..F6) and mount it 
manually. I known you said CTRL+ALT+F1 did not work. Did you try F2 to F6?

After you got a console you have to enter "sudo mount -t devpts devpts 
/dev/pts"

I put the relevant line into fstab but this didn't work neither! So, I 
always mount it manually.

You could try to boot with a live cd, mount your HD and put the mount 
line in your rc.local file (/etc/init.d/rc.local, without sudo) to mount 
/dev/pts during boot.

Good Luck, Thomas