From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Mon Sep 17 16:27:23 2007
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 59EBB16A41B
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:27:23 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from jhary@unsane.co.uk)
Received: from unsane.co.uk (unknown [IPv6:2001:470:1f01:ffff::121])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E566D13C49D
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:27:22 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from jhary@unsane.co.uk)
Received: from prawn.unsane.co.uk (150.117-84-212.staticip.namesco.net
	[212.84.117.150]) (authenticated bits=0)
	by unsane.co.uk (8.14.0/8.14.0) with ESMTP id l8HGOSjB022450
	(version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=NO);
	Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:24:30 +0100 (BST)
	(envelope-from jhary@unsane.co.uk)
Message-ID: <46EEAAE4.6000803@unsane.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 17:27:16 +0100
From: Vince <jhary@unsane.co.uk>
User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.6 (X11/20070816)
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: Tim DeBoer <tdeboer@gmail.com>
References: <f5fb6600709170834t205541f6m637c1598b7a5ec10@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <f5fb6600709170834t205541f6m637c1598b7a5ec10@mail.gmail.com>
X-Enigmail-Version: 0.95.2
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Questions about passwd files
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:27:23 -0000

Tim DeBoer wrote:
> Hi everyone,
> I'm building a new FreeBSD 6.2-RELEASE system, and I need to move a
> ton of users from the old FreeBSD 4.8-RELEASE system.
> 
> I was hoping it would be as easy as copying the master.passwd, passwd,
> and group files to the new box and rebooting, but No. It's not.
> 
> Is there a way to "migrate" users from the old box to the new one?
> I don't care so much about migrating all their home directory contents
> or mail, I just want a method to add all the old users & passwords and
> groups to the new machine, and create the user directories in a batch
> operation.
> 
> 
> Thanks!
> 
You did run pwd_mkdb after moving the master.passwd file didnt you ?
(see pwd_mkdb(8))


Vince