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pwconv(ADM)


pwconv, pwunconv -- install and update or remove the shadow password file

Syntax

/etc/pwconv

/etc/pwunconv

Description

The pwconv command creates and updates /etc/shadow with information from the Protected Password database and /etc/passwd. The command populates /etc/shadow with the user's login name, password, and password aging information.

pwconv creates an entry in /etc/shadow for every user in /etc/passwd. The password and password aging information are read from the Protected Password database and /etc/passwd and stored along with the username in /etc/shadow. The password and password aging information in /etc/passwd are replaced with the letter ``x''. Any existing entries in /etc/shadow without a corresponding entry in /etc/passwd are removed.

The pwunconv command is the reverse of pwconv. The password and password aging information held in /etc/shadow are written back to /etc/passwd and to the Protected Password database. /etc/shadow is then removed.

Lines in /etc/passwd containing Network Information Service (NIS) escape sequences remain unmodified during conversion by pwconv and pwunconv.

Exit values

The pwconv and pwunconv commands exit with one of the following values:

0
Success.

1
Not allowed to run this command.

2
Invalid command syntax.

3
Unexpected failure, conversion not done.

4
Unexpected failure, password file(s) missing.

5
Password file(s) busy, try again later.

6
pwunconv failed as /etc/shadow does not exist.

7
A password file entry created would be too long.
An exit status greater than zero is accompanied by an error message describing the problem. If the message is ``error reading entry for username'', run authck -p to fix the problem and try again. If the message is ``unable to restore previous password file'' the password file has been renamed to /etc/passwd-o and should be renamed back to /etc/passwd. A similar message is output for the shadow password file, /etc/shadow-o should be renamed /etc/shadow.

Authorization

pwconv and pwunconv require the invoking user to be the super user or have the auth subsystem authorization, and have both the chown and execsuid kernel privileges.

Files


/etc/passwd
password file

/etc/shadow
shadow password file

/etc/passwd-t
temporary password file

/etc/shadow-t
temporary shadow password file

/etc/passwd-o
previous password file

/etc/shadow-o
previous shadow password file

/tcb/files/auth/?/*
protected password database

See also

authck(ADM), passwd(C), passwd(F), prpw(F), shadow(F)
© 2005 The SCO Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
SCO OpenServer Release 6.0.0 -- 03 June 2005