How do I change my password?
The Linux and Windows platforms have distinct password domains. This means that you will need to change your passwords separately for Linux and Windows:
In Linux, you can change your password using the passwd command on any department linux machine. The command assists you in choosing a secure password, thereby enhancing security for everybody.
To change your Windows password, you would have to change your NetID password on CSU’s EID/NetID management web portal.
How can I change my default shell?
Send mail to sna@cs.colostate.edu to request that your shell be changed. The change cannot be performed with chsh because of incompatibilities among various machines' implementation of the NIS protocol. The available shells are listed below:
bash (the default)
tcsh
csh
ksh
sh
zsh
How can I change my name in the finger information?
Send mail to sna@cs.colostate.edu to request that your finger information be changed. The change cannot be performed with chfn because of incompatibilities among various machines' implementation of the NIS protocol.
Where can I find a set of startup (or dot) files (.login, .cshrc, .xsession, etc) which are known to work?
The default startup files (which are provided in the home directories of newly created accounts) may be copied from ~info/dot.files. These files provide a basic template which works in our environment, and may serve as a starting point for your own individual modifications.
How long may I keep my account?
Generally speaking, your account will remain active as long as you are either enrolled as a Computer Science major or as another major taking CS classes. Other student accounts are removed twice annually, at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. E-mail will be sent to accounts about to expire, several weeks before they are disabled.
Is it ok to let my friends use my account?
No. Your account is for your use only. Accounts used by anyone other than the designated user may be suspended or revoked.
How can I make ssh work across CS department machines without requiring a password each time?
Create a public/private key pair using the following commands, and leave the pass-phrase empty when ssh-keygen prompts for it:
cd ~/.ssh
ssh-keygen -t rsa
cat id_rsa.pub >> authorized_keys
WARNING: If you change your password because you think your account has been compromised, you should also run these commands again. (The attacker may have stolen your ssh keys.)
For further information on password-less SSH see the Passwordless SSH page..