CIT 040 Index > How to Change Your Password

How to Change Your Password on UNIX

To change your password on the UNIX server, you have to connect to it, as if you were sitting at its keyboard. You use a telnet program called “putty” to do this. Once you have connected, you will type certain UNIX commands–exactly as shown!

  1. Start the putty program. In the lab, you do this by going to the Start menu, “All programs”, then choose putty (near the bottom of the list).

  2. Where it asks for host name, type evc-cit.info, as shown in the screenshot below. Click SSH radio button. (SSH stands for “Secure Shell,” which is a more secure way of connecting to a server.) Finally, click the Open button.

    putty connect screen

  3. The first time you connect to a new server with secure shell, you will get a warning message as shown in the picture below (click the picture to see it at full size). Just click the Yes button.

    putty connect screen

  4. In a few seconds, you will be connected to the server. It will ask you to login as: and you will type your user name (like web199).

  5. It will then ask for your password. Type that in; it will not show up on the screen! Not even little stars will show up.

    If you did it all correctly, you will get a message to have a lot of fun, and then get a prompt where you can type commands.

    login screen to server

  6. Type passwd to change your password, then press ENTER. Do not type the word "password" at the command line -- it won't work!

  7. The server prompts you for your old password. Type it in; it will not show up on the screen, not even as little stars.

  8. The server prompts you for the new password. If it is too simple (letters only, or based on a dictionary word), it will tell you so and reject that password

    A good password has letters (upper and lowercase, digits, and punctuation. Try using the first letters of some famous saying or your favorite movie or song.)

  9. After you finally find a good password, you will be prompted to re-enter that new password. Do so, and then press ENTER. If the passwords match (the new one and the re-entry), the server will tell you Password changed.

  10. After you finish, type exit at the command prompt. Putty closes its window, and you may continue doing whatever else you had in mind.