Command "shutdown -P" doesn't result full system shutdown in Red Hat Linux 5

Issue

• When attempting to run the shutdown -P command to shut down the system, instead it exits to a single user or maintenance mode login screen on the console.

Example:

# shutdown -P now

Instead of shutting down the system instead goes down into a maintenance mode login prompt as shown below:

Telling INIT to go to single user mode.
INIT: Going to single user
INIT: Sending processes the TERM signal
INIT: Sending processes the KILL signal
sh-3.2#

The expected behaviour is for the system to perform the system shut down procedure ending with sending an ACPI power off command which then tells the hardware to physically power off the system.

However, in affected systems, after seemingly bringing the system down the system instead goes into maintenance mode.

In order to finish the power down of the server, you may have to do one of the following actions:

• Log into maintenance mode and run a poweroff command.
• Press the physical power switch to finish powering down the system.