Administering user accounts

Missing or corrupted database files

The Details may indicate file data (or the file itself) is missing, for example:

   The user name does not exist in /etc/passwd
This means that an account database entry in /etc/passwd is corrupted or the file itself is missing. ``Security-related files'' contains a list of critical files accessed by the Account Manager. Follow these steps to solve the problem:

  1. Use the tcbck(ADM) command to determine if any files are missing:

    tcbck

    This will list any missing database files.

  2. If no files are reported missing, or if only the file /tcb/files/auth/r/root is missing, use the authck(ADM) command to check the security databases and resolve inconsistencies:

    authck -a -y

    authck will regenerate the Protected Password database entry for root (/tcb/files/auth/r/root) and any other users it finds missing.

  3. Check any files reported as missing in step 1 with more(C) to see if they contain information. If the command reports a file as not found or the file appears to be empty, follow the procedure in ``Restoring critical security database files''. If there appears to be no problem, try the Account Manager again.

Security-related files

Filename Purpose
/etc/auth/system/default Default control database
/etc/auth/system/authorize Authorization database
/etc/default/accounts Account/group creation defaults
/etc/group Group database
/etc/passwd Account database
/tcb/files/auth Protected Password database directory

See also:


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SCO OpenServer Release 6.0.0 -- 05 June 2007