htpasswd creating passwd file probs

Hey all!

I haven't had problems with using htpasswd before - but lately, my head is
spinning....

I run the command to make a password (eg. htpasswd -c
/home/user/passwords/passwd dude). It'll prompt for a password 2 times,
then say's it made it. If I'm logged in as root - the file isn't created.
If I'm logged in as user - the file is created, BUT, it wouldn't work....I
stirred and stirred (and fried), then I found that the permissions for the
passwd file were wrong (600)...when I make it (644) all's good!

I guess I'm wondering - Is this normal?...do you have to chmod the passwd
file once it's made always? Why can't root use htpasswd? Does any of this
make sense?

Thanks!

sLIVER <sLIVER@dontemailmeanyspam.not> wrote:
> I guess I'm wondering - Is this normal?...do you have to chmod the passwd
> file once it's made always?

If you create it with the wrong permission yes, umask is used to
decide the permission of new files/directories.

> Why can't root use htpasswd?

This I don't know. Check the log files of your system. Since htpasswd
uses the crypt libraries, maybe those are broken.

Davide

"Davide Bianchi" <davideyeahsure@onlyforfun.net> wrote in message
news:bokqcr$1fofta$3@ID-18487.news.uni-berlin.de...
> sLIVER <sLIVER@dontemailmeanyspam.not> wrote:
> > I guess I'm wondering - Is this normal?...do you have to chmod the
passwd
> > file once it's made always?
>
> If you create it with the wrong permission yes, umask is used to
> decide the permission of new files/directories.
>
> > Why can't root use htpasswd?
>
> This I don't know. Check the log files of your system. Since htpasswd
> uses the crypt libraries, maybe those are broken.
>
> Davide
Thanks! I'm still not sure why htpasswd would give the file those
permissions when it didn't a while ago. What is the ideal file permissions
for the passwd files?

sLIVER <sLIVER@dontemailmeanyspam.not> wrote:
> Thanks! I'm still not sure why htpasswd would give the file those
> permissions when it didn't a while ago. What is the ideal file permissions
> for the passwd files?

The permission aren't really important, as long as the file can
be read by the Apache process, the most important thing is to
put the file somewhere where he can't be reached trought the Web.
So, don't put it somewhere in your htdocs tree, put it in /etc/ or
something. Where the other configuration files of apache are is fine,
be sure to include the full path of the file in the AuthPasswdFile
directive.

Davide

"Davide Bianchi" <davideyeahsure@onlyforfun.net> wrote in message
news:boljed$1bcpmg$2@ID-18487.news.uni-berlin.de...
> sLIVER <sLIVER@dontemailmeanyspam.not> wrote:
> > Thanks! I'm still not sure why htpasswd would give the file those
> > permissions when it didn't a while ago. What is the ideal file
permissions
> > for the passwd files?
>
> The permission aren't really important, as long as the file can
> be read by the Apache process, the most important thing is to
> put the file somewhere where he can't be reached trought the Web.
> So, don't put it somewhere in your htdocs tree, put it in /etc/ or
> something. Where the other configuration files of apache are is fine,
> be sure to include the full path of the file in the AuthPasswdFile
> directive.
>
> Davide
Ya, the setup is all correct, again, it was just something I noticed lately
about setting up new passwords. It works once I change the permissions.