topic Copying Users in Operating System - HP-UX

Copying Users

wyoungblood — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:46:43 GMT

Hello,
When copying users from an old machine to a new one (HP of course), is there any way to preserve the user's password from the old HP? I did not see the option on the useradd command. I googled and saw that on Linux there is a -p option where you can put the encrypted password.

Thanks,
Wayne

Re: Copying Users

jthrumston — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:50:59 GMT

This might seem like a strange question but wouldn't it be easier to just tar off the /etc/passwd, shadow, group dirs and the /home dirs and copy them over to the new server? or restore them from a backup?

if its an old to new box scenario that seems like the easiest way to do it instead of doing a useradd for each one

Re: Copying Users

A. Clay Stephenson — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:51:25 GMT

If the system is not Trusted then simply copy /etc/passwd,/etc/group, and the users' home directories from the old box to the new and declare victory. If the system is Trusted then in addition to the above files, copy the /tcb filetree as well.

When doing anything password related, make sure that you are logged in as root in at least two sessions so that you can get yourself out of trouble almost as fast as you got yourself in.

Re: Copying Users

David Bellamy — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 15:47:48 GMT

The best way to do this is to just copy all of the home directories and /etc/passwd and /etc/group to the new server. We do this all the time and it works.

Re: Copying Users

whiteknight — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:42:27 GMT

Wayne,

it is simple in hpux, if you are not in trusted mode.

backup
1) /etc/passwd
2) /etc/group
3) /home

restore to your new machine, it should work.
WK

Re: Copying Users

wyoungblood — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 05:59:10 GMT

Thanks All,

I do have a process set up to tar the /home/* and ftp to the new server (and extract), and copying the /etc/passwd, etc. over. I didn't realize just copying those over was all that was to it (I'm not a System Admin and we don't really have one on staff).

Thanks again,
Wayne