How to change root and username passwords?

wardialer · 10-04-2004, 12:34 AM

If I go into a terminal what do I do to change the root and my username passwords? What are the exact commands for this in Mandrake?

serz · 10-04-2004, 12:41 AM

If you want to change your own password type passwd.

Now, if you want to change any user's password you type passwd user (as root of course).

reddazz · 10-04-2004, 12:43 AM

If you are a logged in as any systenm user (including root) and you need to change your own password, just run "passwd" at the command prompt. You'll be asked for the current password and then you'll have to enter the new one twice. If you want to change other users paswords, you have to switch to the root use and run a commnad similar to the one below,

# passwd USERNAME

and you'll have to type in the new password. Hope this helps.

wardialer · 10-04-2004, 12:58 AM

When I typed passwd it says changing password for user root.

Does that mean to change the 'root' or 'username' password??? Im confused.

reddazz · 10-04-2004, 01:20 AM

1) if you are logged in as root and need to change the root password, just type in passwd and it'll change the root password.
2) if you are logged in as yourself, type "passwd" to change your password.
3) if you are logged in as yourself and need to change another users password, switch to root, then type passwd USERNAME (where username is the userid of the person whose password you want to change.)

wardialer · 10-04-2004, 01:33 AM

I am not working as 'root'. I am logged in as myself (I have my own user ID to login). So, I go into the terminal and do an 'su' and then type passwd (to change the 'root' password and type passwd myusername (to change my username password)?

Am I correct?

serz · 10-04-2004, 01:34 AM

For more info, take a look at the passwd manpage.

wardialer · 10-04-2004, 01:39 AM

Ok I got it now...

I typed passwd without doing 'su' and it asked me to change my username password.

Then, I did an 'su' and typed passwd to change the 'root' password.

Yes,,, I got it.

reddazz · 10-04-2004, 07:32 AM

good for you, I was kinda getting worried that I wasn't explaining things right.