update-passwd8

Usage

Overview

update-passwd handles updates of /etc/passwd, /etc/shadow and /etc/group on running Debian systems. It compares the current files to master copies, distributed in the base-passwd package, and updates all entries in the global system range (that is, 0–99). It leaves backup copies of the previous versions of modified files with the extension ‘.org’ (for “original”).

Options

update-passwd follows the usual GNU command line syntax, with long options starting with two dashes (‘-’).

-p, --passwd-master=FILE

Use FILE as the master copy of the passwd database. The default value is /usr/share/base-passwd/passwd.master.

-g, --group-master=FILE

Use FILE as the master copy of the group database. The default value is /usr/share/base-passwd/group.master.

-P, --passwd=FILE

Use FILE as the system passwd database. The default value is /etc/passwd.

-S, --shadow=FILE

Use FILE as the system shadow database. The default value is /etc/shadow.

-G, --group=FILE

Use FILE as the system group database. The default value is /etc/group.

-s, --sanity-check

Only perform sanity-checks but don't do anything.

-v, --verbose

Give detailed information about what we are doing. A second -v gives additional detail.

-n, --dry-run

Don't do anything but only show what we would do.

-L, --no-locking

Don't attempt to lock the account database. This should only be used for debugging purposes. I repeat: do not do this unless you are really sure you need this!

-h, --help

Show a summary of how to use update-passwd.

-V, --version

Show the version number

Environment

DEBIAN_HAS_FRONTEND

If this environment variable is set and the --dry-run flag was not given, update-passwd uses debconf to prompt for whether to make changes. Each proposed change will produce a separate prompt. User or group removals, UID or GID changes, and home directory changes will be asked with high priority. User or group additions and shell changes will be asked with medium priority. Questions about whether to move entries above the NIS compat inclusion entry or whether to change the GECOS of a user are asked at low priority.