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	Fri, 27 Jun 1997 10:17:11 +0200 (MET DST)
From: Wolfgang Helbig <helbig@MX.BA-Stuttgart.De>
Message-Id: <199706270817.KAA28009@helbig.informatik.ba-stuttgart.de>
Subject: Re: su and not prompt for password? howto in 2.2.2
In-Reply-To: <01BC82D9.76ADB160@PC-PVL> from "P. van Leeuwen" at "Jun 27, 97 09:06:05 am"
To: pvl@nanoteq.com (P. van Leeuwen)
Date: Fri, 27 Jun 1997 10:17:11 +0200 (MET DST)
Cc: helbig@MX.BA-Stuttgart.De, hirsh@skypoint.com, questions@FreeBSD.ORG
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> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Wolfgang Helbig [SMTP:helbig@MX.BA-Stuttgart.De]
> Sent:	Friday, June 27, 1997 1:54
> To:	Roger P Johnson
> Cc:	questions@FreeBSD.ORG
> Subject:	Re: su and not prompt for password? howto in 2.2.2
> 
> >> 
> >> Ok. This should be easy.
> >> 
> >> In 2.1.5 I have myself a member of group wheel, thus when I do:
> >> $ su
> >> #
> >> 
> >> I get the root prompt without the passwd.
> >
> >Probably, because your root did not have a password, i. e. an empty password.
> >> 
> >> In 2.2.2 I have myself a member of group wheel, and now when I do:
> >> $ su
> >> Password:
> >> 
> >> 
> >> How do I stop the prompting of the password??
> >
> >Put an empty password for root in /etc/passwd. But this might be a mistake
> >for other reasons. See man 5 passwd and vipw(8) for a way to change the
> >password file.
> >
> >Wolfgang
> 
> 2.2 doesn't allow empty passwords AFAIK. I tried it, and couldn't log in, as 	I
> was still prompted for a password. 

My machine is running -current, but I'd think it's the same in 2.2.x .
Making an empty password with vipw(8) worked for me. Just delete
all of the encrypted password in the root entry of the passwd file with
vipw(8), i. e. make the entry start like ``root::0'' and you won't have
a root password. This should work, and I will visit your machine to put
a new password in it :-)

Remember: UN*X does not stop you making stupid thinks because this would
stop you making clever things.

Wolfgang