Re: Bug Report: Purging Old and Invalid User Names With Spaces
* From: Robert Peaslee peasleer at gmail dot com * To: cygwin at cygwin dot com * Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:19:18 -0400 * References: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thrall, Bryan wrote: Yes, WinXP stores your username twice (Full name and User Name) and Cygwin uses the hidden one (User Name), but I'm pretty sure you don't have to reinstall XP to change it! IIRC, you can change the username from Control Panel-User Accounts-Advanced tab-Advanced button-Users-right click on the user and select Rename. You might need to be Administrator to do this, though (and it only works for local users, so if you're on a domain, you need to contact the domain admin). There's a slight problem here. I have XP, but I can't see an Advanced tab in the User Accounts window. It lacks all advanced functionality, so I use the Computer Management window as described below: I no longer have XP installed, but found the same can be done in Vista by opening the computer management window (Right click on my computer - manage ), expanding the Local Users and Groups tree, and clicking on Users. Then the instructions are the same as Bryan's, right click on the user and hit 'rename' to set a new username. This does change the real username, and the change will take effect in Cygwin once the password file has been rebuilt using mkpasswd (or updated by hand). (However, it should be noted that the user's profile in Documents and Settings is not renamed). -- Unsubscribe info: http://cygwin.com/ml/#unsubscribe-simple Problem reports: http://cygwin.com/problems.html Documentation: http://cygwin.com/docs.html FAQ: http://cygwin.com/faq/
Re: Bug Report: Purging Old and Invalid User Names With Spaces
On Fri, Mar 16, 2007 at 04:19:35PM -0400, Keith Mitchell wrote: Problem: Virgin Installs of CygWin on Windows XP work fine but a total purge (deletion of all CygWin files and directories) and a fresh reinstall with different set of usernames do not work properly, i.e., usernames that have been CHANGED using the XP user manager to new usernames. This problem occurred as a result of my changing all my usernames with spaces to usernames without spaces to make them Linux compatible. I wanted to thank all for the responses. After many reinstallations of CygWin, I finally identified the problem and got things working. This is just a bug report documenting my discoveries and what I believe is going on. 1. A virgin install of CygWin makes a list of all user names on the system. This list is reflected in /etc/passwd after any reinstall. I am guessing this list is stored in the Windows XP registry as this list does not exist on the drive where CygWin is installed, in my case, the D drive. This list is NEVER updated on subsequent CygWin installs. This is the REAL problem: no updates on subsequent installs. Just in case it isn't clear: *Cygwin* does not store a list of usernames in the registry. cgf -- Unsubscribe info: http://cygwin.com/ml/#unsubscribe-simple Problem reports: http://cygwin.com/problems.html Documentation: http://cygwin.com/docs.html FAQ: http://cygwin.com/faq/
Re: Bug Report: Purging Old and Invalid User Names With Spaces
Keith Mitchell wrote: Problem: Virgin Installs of CygWin on Windows XP work fine but a total purge (deletion of all CygWin files and directories) and a fresh reinstall with different set of usernames do not work properly, i.e., usernames that have been CHANGED using the XP user manager to new usernames. This problem occurred as a result of my changing all my usernames with spaces to usernames without spaces to make them Linux compatible. I wanted to thank all for the responses. After many reinstallations of CygWin, I finally identified the problem and got things working. This is just a bug report documenting my discoveries and what I believe is going on. 1. A virgin install of CygWin makes a list of all user names on the system. This list is reflected in /etc/passwd after any reinstall. I am guessing this list is stored in the Windows XP registry as this list does not exist on the drive where CygWin is installed, in my case, the D drive. This list is NEVER updated on subsequent CygWin installs. This is the REAL problem: no updates on subsequent installs. 2. Subsequent installations of CygWin utilize the aforementioned out of date username list, even though those usernames have been changed and are no longer valid 3. My problems occurred as a result of a conflict between the list of original usernames that are no longer valid created by the first virgin install of CygWin and usernames that currently valid after user manager changes. This registry entry (or whatever the source of the invalid usernames) entry needs either to either be purged before or updated as a result of subsequent CygWin installs. Again thanks to all. Keith Mitchell Hi Keith, In the end, you didn't mention HOW you solved the problem... BTW, I had one problem with WinXP a lng time ago that could be related to that. I don't remember the details anymore, but the point is that after changing a username in WindowsXP, apparently the changes were made only on the outside, meaning that I would see a different name but, internally, windows would still use the old one. Maybe what you are describing is really related to the way Windows handles the username changes, not Cygwin. (You can notice how much I know about that stuff, right :-) ) Gustavo. -- Unsubscribe info: http://cygwin.com/ml/#unsubscribe-simple Problem reports: http://cygwin.com/problems.html Documentation: http://cygwin.com/docs.html FAQ: http://cygwin.com/faq/
Re: Bug Report: Purging Old and Invalid User Names With Spaces
Keith Mitchell wrote: Problem: Virgin Installs of CygWin on Windows XP work fine but a total purge (deletion of all CygWin files and directories) and a fresh reinstall with different set of usernames do not work properly, i.e., usernames that have been CHANGED using the XP user manager to new usernames. This problem occurred as a result of my changing all my usernames with spaces to usernames without spaces to make them Linux compatible. I wanted to thank all for the responses. After many reinstallations of CygWin, I finally identified the problem and got things working. This is just a bug report documenting my discoveries and what I believe is going on. 1. A virgin install of CygWin makes a list of all user names on the system. This list is reflected in /etc/passwd after any reinstall. I am guessing this list is stored in the Windows XP registry as this list does not exist on the drive where CygWin is installed, in my case, the D drive. This list is NEVER updated on subsequent CygWin installs. This is the REAL problem: no updates on subsequent installs. 2. Subsequent installations of CygWin utilize the aforementioned out of date username list, even though those usernames have been changed and are no longer valid 3. My problems occurred as a result of a conflict between the list of original usernames that are no longer valid created by the first virgin install of CygWin and usernames that currently valid after user manager changes. This registry entry (or whatever the source of the invalid usernames) entry needs either to either be purged before or updated as a result of subsequent CygWin installs. Again thanks to all. Keith Mitchell Actually, this information is incorrect. Windows XP stores the first username you choose and will associate your current username to it regardless of what you change it to. Cygwin stores nothing, it is asking Windows what your username is and getting a response of what Windows tells it. I can't verify this right now, but I do believe that if you navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\ you should find that your old usernames still exist in place of your new usernames. That should be verification that it is Windows that is acting strangely, and is not a Cygwin problem. You can get around this by either reinstalling XP and setting up new usernames that are correct from the start, creating new users completely (not changing the names of existing users) and migrate your personal information to the new user profiles, or finally, just get used to typing quotes around your usernames or escaping the spaces when using Cygwin. --Robert Peaslee -- Unsubscribe info: http://cygwin.com/ml/#unsubscribe-simple Problem reports: http://cygwin.com/problems.html Documentation: http://cygwin.com/docs.html FAQ: http://cygwin.com/faq/
RE: Bug Report: Purging Old and Invalid User Names With Spaces
Robert Peaslee wrote on Friday, March 16, 2007 3:53 PM: Windows XP stores the first username you choose and will associate your current username to it regardless of what you change it to. Cygwin stores nothing, it is asking Windows what your username is and getting a response of what Windows tells it. I can't verify this right now, but I do believe that if you navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\ you should find that your old usernames still exist in place of your new usernames. That should be verification that it is Windows that is acting strangely, and is not a Cygwin problem. You can get around this by either reinstalling XP and setting up new usernames that are correct from the start, creating new users completely (not changing the names of existing users) and migrate your personal information to the new user profiles, or finally, just get used to typing quotes around your usernames or escaping the spaces when using Cygwin. Yes, WinXP stores your username twice (Full name and User Name) and Cygwin uses the hidden one (User Name), but I'm pretty sure you don't have to reinstall XP to change it! IIRC, you can change the username from Control Panel-User Accounts-Advanced tab-Advanced button-Users-right click on the user and select Rename. You might need to be Administrator to do this, though (and it only works for local users, so if you're on a domain, you need to contact the domain admin). Also, as someone already said, it is trivial to replace the names-with-spaces in the /etc/passwd file with names that have no spaces, as long as you don't mess with the SID. -- Bryan Thrall FlightSafety International [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Unsubscribe info: http://cygwin.com/ml/#unsubscribe-simple Problem reports: http://cygwin.com/problems.html Documentation: http://cygwin.com/docs.html FAQ: http://cygwin.com/faq/
Re: Bug Report: Purging Old and Invalid User Names With Spaces
Thrall, Bryan wrote: Yes, WinXP stores your username twice (Full name and User Name) and Cygwin uses the hidden one (User Name), but I'm pretty sure you don't have to reinstall XP to change it! IIRC, you can change the username from Control Panel-User Accounts-Advanced tab-Advanced button-Users-right click on the user and select Rename. You might need to be Administrator to do this, though (and it only works for local users, so if you're on a domain, you need to contact the domain admin). Also, as someone already said, it is trivial to replace the names-with-spaces in the /etc/passwd file with names that have no spaces, as long as you don't mess with the SID. That is good information to have. Thanks for your reply, Bryan. I no longer have XP installed, but found the same can be done in Vista by opening the computer management window (Right click on my computer - manage ), expanding the Local Users and Groups tree, and clicking on Users. Then the instructions are the same as Bryan's, right click on the user and hit 'rename' to set a new username. --Robert Peaslee -- Unsubscribe info: http://cygwin.com/ml/#unsubscribe-simple Problem reports: http://cygwin.com/problems.html Documentation: http://cygwin.com/docs.html FAQ: http://cygwin.com/faq/
Re: Bug Report: Purging Old and Invalid User Names With Spaces
* Robert Peaslee (Fri, 16 Mar 2007 16:52:40 -0400) Actually, this information is incorrect. Windows XP stores the first username you choose and will associate your current username to it regardless of what you change it to. Cygwin stores nothing, it is asking Windows what your username is and getting a response of what Windows tells it. Cygwin asks Windows at first install about the user names and creates /etc/passwd. The problem is (or can be) that this list never gets updated even if the user names change or new user are added. As Keith wrote: Subsequent installations of CygWin utilize the aforementioned out of date username list, even though those usernames have been changed and are no longer valid. The secret is to run mkpasswd -l -c /etc/passwd and mkgroup -l -c /etc/group Also you have to run this if you're in a domain (because Cygwin retrieves only the local user names, not the domain names). Thorsten -- Unsubscribe info: http://cygwin.com/ml/#unsubscribe-simple Problem reports: http://cygwin.com/problems.html Documentation: http://cygwin.com/docs.html FAQ: http://cygwin.com/faq/
Re: Bug Report: Purging Old and Invalid User Names With Spaces
On Fri, Mar 16, 2007 at 10:49:36PM -, Thorsten Kampe wrote: * Robert Peaslee (Fri, 16 Mar 2007 16:52:40 -0400) Actually, this information is incorrect. Windows XP stores the first username you choose and will associate your current username to it regardless of what you change it to. Cygwin stores nothing, it is asking Windows what your username is and getting a response of what Windows tells it. Cygwin asks Windows at first install about the user names and creates /etc/passwd. The problem is (or can be) that this list never gets updated even if the user names change or new user are added. As Keith wrote: Subsequent installations of CygWin utilize the aforementioned out of date username list, even though those usernames have been changed and are no longer valid. The secret is to run mkpasswd -l -c /etc/passwd and mkgroup -l -c /etc/group Also you have to run this if you're in a domain (because Cygwin retrieves only the local user names, not the domain names). Given that the OP admitted to wiping out his whole Cygwin installation, I think it's a safe bet that he wiped out and regenerated his /etc/passwd. cgf -- Unsubscribe info: http://cygwin.com/ml/#unsubscribe-simple Problem reports: http://cygwin.com/problems.html Documentation: http://cygwin.com/docs.html FAQ: http://cygwin.com/faq/
