Chage command

mburu · 11-27-2008, 06:34 AM

Hi guys,

I implemented the chage command above to users in our server, however a funnny thing happened that I am unable to resolve.
Here is what went on.

>> Before making any changes
# chage -l user
Last password change : Nov 24, 2008
Password expires : Dec 23, 2008
Password inactive : never
Account expires : never
Minimum number of days between password change : 0
Maximum number of days between password change : 29
Number of days of warning before password expires : 10

There are two outputs of chage command I dont understand.
When I run it
# chage -M 65 -m 1 -W 7 -E 14 user
The user is not able to log and is told accout in expired contact system administrator

# chage -M 65 -m 1 -W 7 -E -1 user
Runs fine the results of chage -l user indicate the password does not expire.

What I really want to achieve is to make the accounts of already existing users to expire after certain number of days if password is not changed and at the same time I dont want to lock them out.

Fritz_Monroe · 11-27-2008, 09:06 AM

I looked in the man page for chage and the -E option needs a date or a number of days after January 2, 1970. So that would be a pretty big number. Try using a -e 2008-12-11 to give them 2 weeks.

Code:

       -E, --expiredate EXPIRE_DATE
           Set the date or number of days since January 1, 1970 on which the
           user´s account will no longer be accessible. The date may also be
           expressed in the format YYYY-MM-DD (or the format more commonly
           used in your area). A user whose account is locked must contact the
           system administrator before being able to use the system again.

           Passing the number -1 as the EXPIRE_DATE will remove an account
           expiration date.