joef@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU
Date: 07/20/92


From: joef@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU ()
Subject: Re: /etc/passwd bug
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1992 06:58:05 GMT

widenius@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Risto Widenius) writes:

>In <1992Jul12.013741.2642@amhux2.amherst.edu>
>pfcouvar@amhux1.amherst.edu (Peter Couvares) writes:

>>difficulties. For some reason, it (I say "it" because I'm not sure which
>>program it is exactly that causes this) doesn't like having more than 1 user
>>with a UID > 100.
>>Here is the /etc/passwd that didn't work (wouldn't let derek log in):

>>[root, bin, others all with UID's < 100]
>>user::100:1::/home/user:/bin/sh
>>peter::101:6:/home/peter:/bin/sh
>>derek::102:6:/home/derek:/bin/sh

   I think I better clean this up.. There is a SYNTAX problem with that
/etc/passwd file.
 The /etc/passwd file syntax is:

loginname:despasswd:uid:gid:gecos:homedir:shell

   You will notice that 'peter' and 'derek' DON'T have a gecos field
while 'user'does (the 1::/home.. It's blank, but its there) - I'm not sure
what it will do, as I haven't tried it under linux, but I'm assuming that
it's NOT going to work. [Under sunos, having a passwd field suchly:

guest::599:100:/home/user:/bin/sh

   Won't Work. IF you have a ':' at the end, it will probably get quite
confused [having a home directory of /bin/sh - which is a file] but will
at least get you somewhere.]

                Joe