KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q316055: Password Synchronization from UNIX Does Not Work with Yppasswd

Article: Q316055
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kbtool kbui
Last Modified: 30-JUL-2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX, version 3.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When a UNIX user tries to change their password on a UNIX platform that is
configured to use the UNIX NIS component for password validation, the user
cannot do so. This occurs when the user uses the "yppasswd" (without the
quotation marks) command. Under these conditions, the password is not replicated
to the Windows computer by using the Windows Services for UNIX 3.0 password
synchronization component.

CAUSE
=====

If the Windows Services for UNIX Password Authentication Module (PAM) is
installed on a UNIX NIS Master, the "yppasswd" (without the quotation marks)
command does not use the pam_sso infrastructure.

RESOLUTION
==========

To make password synchronization work in an NIS/NIS+ environment:

1. Link yppasswd to the passwd command.

2. On all the NIS UNIX clients (whether the "NIS Master" is a Windows Services
  for UNIX NIS Server or a UNIX NIS server), edit the Etc/Nsswitch.conf file
  and set it to use NIS / NIS+.

3. If the "user" is not present in the local /etc/password | shadow files, the
  passwd|yppasswd command that was run on the UNIX client (NIS client) computer
  changes the NIS password for the user on the NIS master database.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that
are listed at the beginning of this article.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbenv kbtool kbui 
Technology        : kbWinServiceUNIXSearch kbWinServiceUNIX300
Version           : :3.0
Issue type        : kbbug

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.