If you did not create any users when you installed the
system and are thus logged in as root
, you should probably create
a user now with
#
adduser
The first time you use adduser
, it might
ask for some defaults to save. You might want to make the
default shell csh(1) instead of sh(1), if it suggests
sh
as the default. Otherwise just press
enter to accept each default. These defaults are saved in
/etc/adduser.conf
, an editable file.
Suppose you create a user jack
with full name
Jack Benimble. Give jack
a password if security
(even kids around who might pound on the keyboard) is an issue.
When it asks you if you want to invite jack
into other groups, type
wheel
Login group is ``jack''. Invite jack into other groups: wheel
This will make it possible to log in as jack
and use the su(1)
command to become root
. Then you will not get
scolded any more for logging in as root
.
You can quit adduser
any time by typing
Ctrl+C,
and at the end you will have a chance to approve your new user
or simply type n for no. You might want to
create a second new user so that when you edit jack
's login files, you will
have a hot spare in case something goes wrong.
Once you have done this, use exit
to get
back to a login prompt and log in as jack
. In general, it is a good
idea to do as much work as possible as an ordinary user who does
not have the power—and risk—of root
.
If you already created a user and you want the user to be
able to su
to root
, you can log in as
root
and edit the file
/etc/group
, adding jack
to the first line (the
group wheel
). But
first you need to practice vi(1), the text editor—or
use the simpler text editor, ee(1), installed on recent
versions of FreeBSD.
To delete a user, use rmuser
.
All FreeBSD documents are available for download at https://download.freebsd.org/ftp/doc/
Questions that are not answered by the
documentation may be
sent to <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org>.
Send questions about this document to <freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.org>.