gid incorrect as user

[Ronelle van Niekerk]

I did a terrible thing last week and overwrote the passwd file.
I struggled to get it restored and finally ended up doing a lot of editing and praying.

Non of the users have complained .... yet, but one of the dbas says that a user they use does not have the correct gid. But if I do an id on the user as root it comes up correct.

user$ id
uid=5017(user) gid=400(usergroup) groups=1000(dba),422(othergrp),192(othergrp2)

root# id user
uid=5017(user) gid=1000(dba) groups=400(usergroup),422(othergrp),192(othergrp2)

The passwd file entry states that 1000 (dba) is the user's group.

I've done a pwck on the passwd file and all it seems to be fine.
I've done a grpck on the group file and it seems fine too.
And yes, logingroup is linked to group.

What have I done?
What do I do?

[Sundar_7]

Hi,

Can u post

# grep user /etc/passwd /etc/groups

I know this might sound stupid but check for newgrp command in the user profile

[Ronelle van Niekerk]

# grep user /etc/passwd /etc/group
/etc/passwd:user::5017:1000:user:/home/dirs/user:/bin/sh
/etc/group:usergroup::400:user
/etc/group:dba::1000:oracle,user
/etc/group:othergrp::422:user
/etc/group:othergrp2::192:user


No newgrp command in the user profile.

[Steven E. Protter]

run these utils

pwck

grpck

They will help you validate your errors.

Might I suggest regular fbackups and ignite backups.

Attaching the ignite script.

SEP

[Vitek Pepas]

Check the user's profile for 'newgrp' entries.
The newgrp command changes your group ID without changing your user ID and replaces your current shell with a new one.

[Ronelle van Niekerk]

As mentioned in original question, I did run the pwck and grpck commands - they both seem fine.

As mentioned in my previous reply, there is no newgrp command in the user's profile.

We do ignite backups once a month, should I try restore the passwd file from there rather than from the OBII backups?

[Zigor Buruaga]

Hi,

Try to create a new user, i.e "user2" with the same groups that "user". What happens? If the new user2 has the correct gid, check again "passwd" and "group" files and look for a clue.
Try also to remove "user" from the "groups" file, in the line "/etc/group:dba::1000:oracle,user"
Only an idea.

Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Zigor

[Ronelle van Niekerk]

I think I solved the problem.

The users are added automatically and a passwd file is pushed out to my server when a new user is added. We're using something called KEON.

So I don't seem to have any control over my passwd file - thankfully I don't have to say the same about the group file.

I just got the guys who administer the KEON system to push a new passwd file to my server and everything seems to be OK.

I'm still not sure how it works because root seems to read the passwd file in /etc (as you can see from the id user output) but when you su into the user it doesn't read the right data.
I'll have to look into it some more

[T G Manikandan]

Yes,the best way would be not to guess on the password options.

Backup your current passwd file
#cp /etc/passwd /etc/passwd.
Just insert your ignite tape
#cd /tmp
#mt -f /dev/rmt/0mn rewind
#mt -f /dev/rmt/0mn fsf 1
#tar tvf /dev/rmt/0m passwd
#tar xvf /dev/rmt/0 passwd


"Make sure you have atleast one session with root logged in" for
Any password problems with the old file.