# Changes in /etc/group not recognised
**URL:** https://forums.suse.com/t/changes-in-etc-group-not-recognised/21796
**Category:** SLES Configure-Administer
**Created:** [September 6, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/changes-in-etc-group-not-recognised/21796 "2011-09-06T15:36:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@System1](https://forums.suse.com/u/System1)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/changes-in-etc-group-not-recognised/21796/1 "2011-09-06T15:36:02Z")
Hi,
if I change an entry in /etc/group by simply editing the file the
changes won’t get recognised. Is there any way to make the system
recognise the changes?
Changing groups with usermod -[R|A], works as expected, where is the
difference to a simple edit?
I just want to do a simple file synchronisation between machines.
System is SLES 11 (2.6.32.27-0.2 x86\_64)
Cheers,
Walter
## – Walter\_S
Walter\_S’s Profile: [http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=115997](http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=115997)
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---
### Author:  [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/changes-in-etc-group-not-recognised/21796/2 "2011-09-06T15:53:58Z")
On Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:36:02 GMT
Walter S [Walter\_S@no-mx.forums.novell.com](mailto:Walter_S@no-mx.forums.novell.com) wrote:
[color=blue]
> Hi,
> if I change an entry in /etc/group by simply editing the file the
> changes won’t get recognised. Is there any way to make the system
> recognise the changes?
> Changing groups with usermod -[R|A], works as expected, where is the
> difference to a simple edit?
> I just want to do a simple file synchronisation between machines.
>
> System is SLES 11 (2.6.32.27-0.2 x86\_64)
>
> Cheers,
>
> Walter
>
> [/color]
> Hi
> If you use YaST instead, that will run the necessary routines to sync;
```auto
yast users
```
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 11.4 (x86\_64) Kernel 2.6.37.6-0.7-desktop
up 12:28, 3 users, load average: 0.10, 0.07, 0.06
GPU GeForce 8600 GTS Silent - Driver Version: 280.13
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/changes-in-etc-group-not-recognised/21796/3 "2011-09-06T18:16:02Z")
malcolmlewis;2134744 Wrote:[color=blue]
> On Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:36:02 GMT
> Walter S [Walter\_S@no-mx.forums.novell.com](mailto:Walter_S@no-mx.forums.novell.com) wrote:
> [color=green]
>
> > Hi,
> > if I change an entry in /etc/group by simply editing the file the
> > changes won’t get recognised. Is there any way to make the system
> > recognise the changes?
> > Changing groups with usermod -[R|A], works as expected, where is the
> > difference to a simple edit?
> > I just want to do a simple file synchronisation between machines.
> >
> > System is SLES 11 (2.6.32.27-0.2 x86\_64)
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Walter
> >
> > [/color]
> > Hi
> > If you use YaST instead, that will run the necessary routines to sync;[color=green]
> > [/color][/color]
> > Code:
> > --------------------[color=blue][color=green]
> > [/color]
> > yast users
> > [/color]
> > --------------------[color=blue][color=green]
> > [/color]
>
> Hi Malcolm,
> I’m sorry, but this is not helpful. How would using yast2 be a
> solution for a (automated) synchronisation between machines? As I
> wrote in my OP I don’t have a problem with changing users’ groups
> (it’s faster and easier with usermod, BTW), it is just that SLES is
> behaving strangely and I am searching for a solution or explanation to
> that.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Walter
>
> P.S.
> yast2 is incredibly slow. Just listing users \>[/color]
> Code:
> --------------------[color=blue][color=green]
>
> > yast2 --ncurses users list[/color][/color]
> > --------------------[color=blue][color=green]
> > takes more than a second, whereas \>[/color][/color]
> > Code:
> > --------------------[color=blue][color=green]
> > awk -F: ‘$3 \>= 1000 && $3 \<= 6000’ /etc/passwd[/color][/color]
> > --------------------[color=blue][color=green]
> > takes 0.001 seconds. Even a more universal \>[/color][/color]
> > Code:
> > --------------------[color=blue][color=green]
> > GID\_MIN=$(awk ‘/\[1\]\*GID\_MIN/ {print $NF}’ /etc/login.defs);\[/color]
> > GID\_MAX=$(awk ‘/\[2\]\*GID\_MAX/ {print $NF}’ /etc/login.defs);\
> > awk -F: ‘$3 \>= ‘“$GID\_MIN”’ && $3 \<= ‘“$GID\_MAX”’’ /etc/passwd[/color]
> > --------------------[color=blue][color=green]
> > would take only 0.007 seconds. Try this in a landscape with 100+[/color]
> > machines on every machine and you’ll see what I mean.
> > W.[/color]
## – Walter\_S
Walter\_S’s Profile: [http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=115997](http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=115997)
View this thread: [http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=444246](http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=444246)
* * *
1. :blank:
2. :blank:
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/changes-in-etc-group-not-recognised/21796/4 "2011-09-06T20:16:01Z")
On Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:16:02 GMT
Walter S [Walter\_S@no-mx.forums.novell.com](mailto:Walter_S@no-mx.forums.novell.com) wrote:
[color=blue]
> malcolmlewis;2134744 Wrote:[color=green]
>
> > On Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:36:02 GMT
> > Walter S [Walter\_S@no-mx.forums.novell.com](mailto:Walter_S@no-mx.forums.novell.com) wrote:
> > [color=darkred]
> >
> > > Hi,
> > > if I change an entry in /etc/group by simply editing the file the
> > > changes won’t get recognised. Is there any way to make the system
> > > recognise the changes?
> > > Changing groups with usermod -[R|A], works as expected, where is
> > > the difference to a simple edit?
> > > I just want to do a simple file synchronisation between machines.
> > >
> > > System is SLES 11 (2.6.32.27-0.2 x86\_64)
> > >
> > > Cheers,
> > >
> > > Walter
> > >
> > > [/color]
> > > Hi
> > > If you use YaST instead, that will run the necessary routines to
> > > sync;[color=darkred]
> > > [/color][/color]
> > > Code:
> > > --------------------[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > [/color]
> > > yast users
> > > [/color]
> > > --------------------[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > [/color]
> >
> > Hi Malcolm,
> > I’m sorry, but this is not helpful. How would using yast2 be a
> > solution for a (automated) synchronisation between machines? As I
> > wrote in my OP I don’t have a problem with changing users’ groups
> > (it’s faster and easier with usermod, BTW), it is just that SLES is
> > behaving strangely and I am searching for a solution or explanation
> > to that.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Walter
> >
> > P.S.
> > yast2 is incredibly slow. Just listing users \>[/color]
> > Code:
> > --------------------[color=green][color=darkred]
> >
> > > yast2 --ncurses users list[/color][/color]
> > > --------------------[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > takes more than a second, whereas \>[/color][/color]
> > > Code:
> > > --------------------[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > awk -F: ‘$3 \>= 1000 && $3 \<= 6000’ /etc/passwd[/color][/color]
> > > --------------------[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > takes 0.001 seconds. Even a more universal \>[/color][/color]
> > > Code:
> > > --------------------[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > GID\_MIN=$(awk ‘/\[1\]\*GID\_MIN/ {print
> > > $NF}’ /etc/login.defs);\[/color]
> > > GID\_MAX=$(awk ‘/\[2\]\*GID\_MAX/ {print
> > > $NF}’ /etc/login.defs);\ awk -F: ‘$3 \>= ‘“$GID\_MIN”’ && $3 \<=
> > > ‘“$GID\_MAX”’’ /etc/passwd[/color]
> > > --------------------[color=green][color=darkred]
> > > would take only 0.007 seconds. Try this in a landscape with 100+[/color]
> > > machines on every machine and you’ll see what I mean.
> > > W.[/color]
>
> [/color]
> Hi
> If you look at the man page for groups;
```auto
BUGS
As the 4.2BSD initgroups(3) man page says: No-one seems to
keep /etc/group up-to-date.
```
What if you use vigr and grpck commands, they may cause an update, but
have a feeling your hitting the above bug.
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 11.4 (x86\_64) Kernel 2.6.37.6-0.7-desktop
up 16:47, 6 users, load average: 0.09, 0.13, 0.14
GPU GeForce 8600 GTS Silent - Driver Version: 280.13
* * *
1. :blank:
2. :blank:
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2011, 9:56am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/changes-in-etc-group-not-recognised/21796/5 "2011-09-07T09:56:01Z")
malcolmlewis;2134863 Wrote:[color=blue]
> On Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:16:02 GMT
> […]
> Hi
> If you look at the man page for groups;[color=green]
>
> > [/color][/color]
> > Code:
> > --------------------[color=blue][color=green]
> > [/color]
> > BUGS
> > As the 4.2BSD initgroups(3) man page says: No-one seems to
> > keep /etc/group up-to-date.
> > [/color]
> > --------------------[color=blue][color=green]
> > [/color]
> > What if you use vigr and grpck commands, they may cause an update,
> > but
> > have a feeling your hitting the above bug.
> > [/color]
> > Alas, nether grpck or vigroup has any effect on a user’s group
> > membership.
> > But I’ve just found the culprit: it’s nscd, the name service cache
> > daemon. Even when restarted after changes in /etc/group it will restore
> > the previous state.
> > Changing
## Code:
## enable-cache group yes
to
## Code:
## enable-cache group no
in /etc/nscd.conf and restarting nscd solved my problem.
So I’ve only to roll out the changed configuration and restart nscd on
all machines and my synchronisation goes as planned. 🙂
Thanks for your time,
Walter
## – Walter\_S
Walter\_S’s Profile: [http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=115997](http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=115997)
View this thread: [http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=444246](http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=444246)
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/changes-in-etc-group-not-recognised/21796/6 "2011-09-09T17:06:02Z")
Hi Walter,
instead of disabling caching completely, you might just tell nscd to
reload the groups… unless you have other reasons to disable nscd,
too.
:~ # nscd --help
Usage: nscd [OPTION…]
Name Service Cache Daemon.
-d, --debug Do not fork and display messages on the
current
tty
-f, --config-file=NAME Read configuration data from NAME
-g, --statistics Print current configuration statistics
_-i, --invalidate=TABLE Invalidate the specified cache_
-K, --shutdown Shut the server down
-t, --nthreads=NUMBER Start NUMBER threads
-?, --help Give this help list
–usage Give a short usage message
-V, --version Print program version
Mandatory or optional arguments to long options are also mandatory or
optional
for any corresponding short options.
Regards,
Jens
## – from the times when today’s “old school” was “new school” :eek:
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---
### Author:  [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2011, 9:56am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/changes-in-etc-group-not-recognised/21796/7 "2011-09-12T09:56:02Z")
jmozdzen;2135943 Wrote:[color=blue]
> Hi Walter,
> instead of disabling caching completely, you might just tell nscd to
> reload the groups… unless you have other reasons to disable nscd,
> too.
> […][/color]
As I said, simply restarting/reloading nscd won’t help. And as I see no
advantage in credential caching in our current environment it’s more
convenient for me to disable it.
Cheers,
Walter
## – Walter\_S
Walter\_S’s Profile: [http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=115997](http://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=115997)
View this thread: [http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=444246](http://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=444246)