Transferring users

[Austin Godber]

Kyle Faber wrote:
> Hello!
> 
> 	I am trying to determine the best way to effectively copy the /etc/passwd 
> file from one machine to another.  I have read that you can not do this by 
> merely copying the associated files, but is there some method I can use to 
> accomplish this idea?
> 
> THANKS!

I have dones this once before, as I recall, it went like this:

Actually, your password information is stored in a shadow password file 
which you can't just copy.  You must convert it back to a normal 
password file (man pwconv), then copy the resultant /etc/passwd which 
contains all of the neccessary info to the new machine, then run use 
pwconv (or whatever) in the opposite direction ti turn the passwd file 
back into a shadow password file.

This worked for me.  I am not sure if there was another way of doing it.

Austin