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Path: utzoo!utcs!mnetor!cxmd!justin
From: justin@cxmd.UUCP (Justin C. Walker [Curmudgeon at Large])
Newsgroups: cx.openforum,net.bugs.usg
Subject: Re: /etc/passwd grungies
Message-ID: <206@cxmd.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Feb-86 16:01:07 EST
Article-I.D.: cxmd.206
Posted: Thu Feb  6 16:01:07 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Feb-86 17:10:46 EST
References: <3039@mnetor.UUCP>
Organization: Computer X, Germantown, MD
Lines: 23

From Chris:
> BEWARE: In /etc/passwd blank or otherwise badly formatted lines can
> cause *extremely* anomalous behaviour.  Eg: System V accounting can run

	Now that the horse is gone, there is a program called /etc/pwck
	which you can use to check the integrity of the passwd file.
	It comes with System V.  There is also /etc/grpck, for /etc/group.
	Although it's a pain, you might want to use these every time you
	make a change to one of these files.

	There really should be a user program which does this, and locks
	the file while it's doing it.  Oh well...

Cheers
-- 
==============================================================================
Justin C. Walker, Curmudgeon at Large
Computer X, Inc., Germantown (at long last), MD
BELL: 301/972-9440
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