Manually adding users and the shadow file...

Tim356 · 08-05-2008, 05:32 AM

Adding a user manually to the /etc/passwd file, by tacking on this line:

Code:

testuser:x:500:500:Test User:/home/testuser:/bin/bash

then saving, I get this:

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# vipw
You are using shadow passwords on this system.
Would you like to edit /etc/shadow now [y/n]?

Now, if I enter y, I get taken to the shadow file, obviously. What should I enter here?? If I just enter a random password string such as this line:

Code:

testuser:asdfweusljasdfunwdfsasasf

First I have to force it to write to a readonly file, then when I do the following, I get an error.

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# passwd testuser
Changing password for user testuser.
passwd: Authentication token manipulation error

How am I actually meant to do this? I know I can do this with useradd and through x, but how can I manually do it?

stress_junkie · 08-05-2008, 06:30 AM

Instead of editing the shadow file you can use the pwconv utility.

Code:

pwconv

That utility will reconcile all of the user accounts listed in the passwd file with the shadow file entries. Then you can use the passwd utility to create a passwd for the new user account.

jschiwal · 08-05-2008, 06:46 AM

Use the useradd program instead to add a new user. That's what its there for.

Tim356 · 08-05-2008, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stress_junkie

Instead of editing the shadow file you can use the pwconv utility.

Code:

pwconv

That utility will reconcile all of the user accounts listed in the passwd file with the shadow file entries. Then you can use the passwd utility to create a passwd for the new user account.

Cheers! That did the trick. Thanks for helping.

jschiwal: you might notice in my first post that I mentioned this:

Quote:

I know I can do this with useradd and through x, but...