Re: adduser wants root passwd though I am root

[Kevin Buhr <buhr@telus.net>]

stavel@brailcom.org writes:
>
> I am root and want create new user ...
> 
> $> whoami
> $> root
> $> adduser test
> $> Password:

Under the hood, "adduser" uses "useradd" (from the "passwd" package)
to do its work.  My "adduser" and "passwd" packages are the current
Woody/stable version:  adduser version 3.47 and passwd version
20000902-12.

When I run "adduser" as root, it does *not* prompt for the root
password; it immediately creates the new user and prompts for the new
user's password (twice).  If I run "adduser" as a regular user, it
prints the message:

        adduser: Only root may add a user or group to the system.

It's possible this behaviour is changed in newer versions of "adduser"
and "passwd", but your suspicions are justified.

The MD5s for "adduser" and "useradd" on my (Woody) system are:

   b7783a6c5057bd917b303f8c79ab4186  /usr/sbin/adduser
   c62fb94c47a8af25768e5db96e5a6d52  /usr/sbin/useradd

-- 
Kevin <buhr@telus.net>