topic useradd: warning: the home directory already exists in Operating System - Linux

useradd: warning: the home directory already exists

kumar_chandel — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:17:08 GMT

I'm trying to create a user in Linux by specifying the home directory with option -d. But I'm getting the below error:

[root@test123 ~]# useradd -c "Admin" -s /bin/ksh -d /oracle -g dba oracle123
useradd: warning: the home directory already exists.
Not copying any file from skel directory into it.

What is the reason for the files not being copied from the /etc/skel directory?

Re: useradd: warning: the home directory already exists

Dennis Handly — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:10:51 GMT

>What is the reason for the files not being copied from the /etc/skel directory?

Most likely because it thought you already did that and didn't want to destroy your customizations.

Re: useradd: warning: the home directory already exists

kumar_chandel — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 07:23:14 GMT

Does it affect an user if the files .bash_profile and .bash_logout are not copied form the /etc/skel diretory in linux?

Re: useradd: warning: the home directory already exists

Dennis Handly — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 17:55:44 GMT

>Does it affect an user if the files .bash_profile and .bash_logout are not copied form the /etc/skel directory in linux?

If the user uses bash. :-)

And of course how much customization is done.

Re: useradd: warning: the home directory already exists

Naj — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 02:36:36 GMT

Hi,

Default values for account creation defined in /etc/default/useradd file RHEL . Simply open this file using a text editor:

# vi /etc/default/useradd

The default home directory defined by HOME variable, find line that read as follows:

HOME=/home

Replace with:

HOME=/etc/skel

Hope this can help

Thanks

Naj