Adding Users

Ideally you don't want to always be 'root' when using Minix. It's best to create a user for your day to day usage and 'su' to 'root' as required.

Like most Unix based systems a user must belong to a group. I use a 'users' group that all users belong too. Minix doesn't have this by default. To add it, edit the '/etc/group' file. If you haven't installed an alternative editor you can use 'mined' which is installed by default:

...logged in as root...
# mined /etc/group

This is a full screen editor. You can use the arrow keys to move around and just type the changes you want. Add the following line:

users:*:12:

This adds a 'users' group with an id of '12'. Make sure that id isn't already being used. To exit 'mined' and save press CTRL+X and answer 'y' to the 'do you want to save' prompt.

Now the group is added, add a user with the 'adduser' command:

adduser chris users /home/chris

This will add a user called 'chris' who belongs to the 'users' group and the home directory is '/home/chris'. Initially there is no password set. Use 'passwd' to change this:

passwd chris

Logoff 'root' by pressing CTRL+D and then login under the new user. You can still run commands as 'root' when needed without logging off by using 'su'.

Categories: minix, admin