NIS passwords

[Tim Jaster]

Okay, this may be really simple but I can't figure it out. When I try to change a users password on any of the NIS boxes (master, server or client) as root, I am prompted for the old password. I used the yppasswd command. Is there any way to change a user's password as root without being prompted for the old password? I could do it using SAM but I would like to be able to do it at the command line.

[Sandor Horvath_2]

Hi !

That is how yppasswd work. But You can use use
#passwd user
#ypmake passwd

on master.

regards, Saa

[Tim Jaster]

Well, what if a user forgets his/her password? Without NIS enabled, I could just log in as root and issue the passwd command to assign a new password without having to provide the old password. If I have to use SAM to change a NIS user's password without entering the old password I will, but I thought maybe it could be done from the command line. Thanks for the help.

[Tarek]

You have to change the user's password from the nis master server and then run /var/yp/ypmake passwd from the nis master server.

[Tim Jaster]

Thanks for the help. I was missing the fact that I'm using an altername passwd file and therefore have to specify it with the passwd command:

1. su to root
2. passwd -F /etc/passwd.nis
3. /var/yp/ypmake passwd.byname

[Monica Goodson]

Hello Gretchen,

I am having the same problem but I can't seem to find a fix. No one on the forum has been able to help. One forum member suggestion actually made matters worse. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am not using alternate passwords.

Monica

[Ajay Sishodia]

how about editing the nis password file and deleting the password field entry. Than run ypmake and ask the user to put in a password as he wil be loged in first time without being challenged for password.

Ajay