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53

Getting an "Authentication token manipulation" error when trying to change my user password

rated 0 times [ 53] [ 0] / answers: 1 / hits: 392697 / 2 Years ago, tue, september 13, 2022, 5:27:38

I am logging in to my Ubuntu Server using my username. Once I am logged in I am typing passwd command. Entering a new password but a second after getting following error messages:

passwd: Authentication token manipulation error

passwd: password unchanged

What is wrong here? How can I change my password otherwise if I don't have access to that server physically, i.e. I am connecting remotely with ssh using terminal.

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tusmuumu

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1 Year ago

answered 2 Years ago gerrin · Accepted Answer

If you insert the wrong passwd

$ passwd

Changing password for rinzwind.

(current) UNIX password: 

passwd: Authentication token manipulation error

passwd: password unchanged

you get this error. If you are sure that you inserted the correct one, this error might also show up if you are using shadowed password files and the shadow doesn’t have an entry for this user (basically/etc/passwd has an entry for this user, but /etc/shadow does not).

In order to fix this, you can either add the entry manually (make a backup first!!!) or recreate the shadow file with pwconv (Manpage).