i think i have seen the light... during the install, i opted for both the use of shadow passwords and enabled md5 passwords. btw, the server is only a internal dev box, but thanks... -----Original Message----- From: Axalon Bloodstone [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 1999 10:56 AM To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Subject: RE: [newbie] PASSWD I'd be changeing my passwords right now. kind defeats the purpose of shadow passwords if you sent it across a mailing list.. > -----Original Message----- > From: Steve Philp [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 1999 3:45 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [newbie] PASSWD > > > Richard Adams wrote: > > > > On Tue, 21 Sep 1999, you wrote: > > > I added a user called "test" > > > with a password of "test" > > > > > > > > > when I telnet into the server as user test, I can't change the password > (to > > > anything!!!) > > > > > > errors include: > > > > > > BAD PASSWORD: it is too short > > > BAD PASSWORD: it is based on a dictionary word > > > passwd: Authentication token manipulation error > > > > > Passwd's should be no longer the 8 letters no shorter than 5, no > > dictionary words, so a passwd like PeT9^G is a valid passwd, and once > > logged in there is no reason why that passwd could not be used > > without getting errors, on the otherhand use richard and that will > > produce all of the above. > > > > Looking at the passwd line below, the system operator did not set a > > passwd for "test" to start with, which is a bad thing. > > Not even true. That 'x' means one of two things: > > 1) The account is locked from login (no password has yet been set) > > 2) The sysadmin is using shadow passwords (in which case you need to > look at /etc/shadow to see if there's a password set). > > > > > > > /etc/passwd... > > > test:x:501:510::/home/test:/bin/bash > > > > > > > > > I want the user to be able to logon and change their password to > anything > > > they desire! > > > What must I re-configure??? Help! > > > Thanks. > > -- > > Regards Richard > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > --