How To Change Existing User Home Directory In Linux

This cursory guide explains how to create home directory for existing user in Linux and Unix-like operating systems using mkhomedir_helper command.

Introduction

Equally you know already, we tin create a new user in Linux and Unix-like systems using adduser command, right? Yes, that's right! When we add a new user, the home directory for the respective user is automatically created by default.

There is also another command to create users in Linux. It is chosen useradd.

After I created a few users using useradd command in Alpine Linux, I noticed that the $HOME directories for the users are not created. I am non aware of it before.

Later on reading the useradd control's homo pages, I came to realize that I should have included -k (or --create-home) option to create new users with $Home directory similar beneath:

          $ sudo useradd -m user_name

Or,

          $ sudo useradd --create-home user_name

But, I forgot to include this option and went on to create a few new users. If you lot are anything like me, don't delete the existing users and recreate them with -m option.

You lot can easily create home directory for an existing user in Linux using mkhomedir_helper control, without deleting and recreating the user.

Create Home Directory For Existing User In Linux

The mkhomedir_helper is a helper program for the pam_mkhomedir module. The pam_mkhomedir PAM module will create a user'due south home directory if it does not be when the session begins.

Showtime, this module creates the habitation directories and so populates them with contents of the specified skel directory. The default value of umask is 0022 and the default value of path-to-skel is /etc/skel.

Allow me to bear witness you lot an example to explicate how to create the abode directory for an existing user with the assistance of mkhomedir_helper command.

Start, let us create a new user named ostechnix using useradd command:

$ useradd ostechnix

Set password to the user:

$ passwd ostechnix

Now switch to the new user:

$ su - ostechnix

Y'all will encounter with the following mistake bulletin:

su: warning: cannot change directory to /home/ostechnix: No such file or directory

warning: cannot change directory to /home/ostechnix: No such file or directory — warning: cannot change directory to /dwelling house/ostechnix: No such file or directory

Every bit you see in the to a higher place output, the home directory for the user ostechnix does not exists, hence this error.

Let us verify it by looking into the /habitation directory:

          $ ls -l /home/          total 0 drwx------ 1 vagrant vagrant 72 Dec 15 13:19 vagrant

Well, it is true that there is no domicile directory for the user ostechnix.

So permit usa create the home directory for the existing user (i.eastward. ostechnix in our case) with mkhomedir_helper command.

To do so, first log out from the user ostechnix if you already logged in:

$ exit

And run the post-obit control to create dwelling house directory for the user chosen ostechnix:

$ sudo mkhomedir_helper ostechnix

Please note that you must run the above control as root user or unlike sudo user.

Now switch to the user ostechnix:

$ su - ostechnix

This fourth dimension yous will not go any warning message, because the home directory for the user called ostechnix has been created with mkhomedir_helper command.

[[email protected] ~]$ pwd                      /habitation/ostechnix

Create home directory for existing user in Linux using mkhomedir_helper command

For more than details, refer human pages:

$ man mkhomedir_helper

You lot know now how to create home directories after creating the users. This tin exist useful when you forgot to include -k pick while creating users with useradd command.

Instead of using useradd, yous tin use adduser control which will create user's home directories automatically without whatsoever options.

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sk

I am Senthil Kumar, more unremarkably known as SK to my friends, from Republic of india. I love to read, write and explore topics on Linux, Unix and all other technology related stuff.