1) The system account is the account that windows uses to run system
tasks when someone/no one is logged in.

2)You should not be able to log in through the system account.  

3) No

4) Cygwin builds etc/passwd off of the local system accounts unless you
told it to use domain accounts.

5) Not as far as I know


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-amanda-users AT amanda DOT org
[mailto:owner-amanda-users AT amanda DOT org] On Behalf Of McGraw, Robert P.
Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2006 10:50 AM
To: amanda-users AT amanda DOT org
Subject: SYSTEM account in /etc/passwd

I am running WinXP SP2. I have installed cygwin and I am going through
the documents on how to set up a window machine to be backed up by
Amanda.

Not being a window type guy I am trying to understand what the "SYSTEM" 
account is.

I see the line "SYSTEM:*:18:544:....." in the /etc/passwd but I am not
sure what this account is or where it is created from. It is not in my
list of accounts under "computer management / local users and groups".

After my cygwin install my  /etc/passwd  and /etc/group look like:

SYSTEM:*:18:544:,S-1-5-18::
Administrators:*:544:544:,S-1-5-32-544::

root:S-1-5-32-544:0:
SYSTEM:S-1-5-18:18:
Administrators:S-1-5-32-544:544:

QUESTIONS:

        1) What is the SYSTEM account.

        2) Am I suppose to be able to log in to the account SYSTEM?

        3) Do I need to be able to log in as SYSTEM?

        4) Where does the cygwin install get the information to create
the /etc/passwd entry?

Per the amanda doc on setting up cygwin for amanda it shows that I must
modify/add to the /etc/passwd file as follows:

SYSTEM:*:18:18:,S-1-5-18:/home/root:
root:*:18:18:,S-1-5-18:/home/root:

Do I need to change the gid from 544 to 18?

OTHER QUESTIONS:

        1) What is the SYSTEM account.

        2) Am I suppose to be able to log in to the account SYSTEM?

        3) Do I need to be able to log in as SYSTEM?

        4) Where does the cygwin install get the information to create
the /etc/passwd entry?

        5) Do I need to change the group id from 544 to 18.

I have google about the "SYSTEM" accountbut "system/Microsoft/account"
are such generic words that I cannot find out anything.

I have also googled "cygwin and amanda" and most documents seem to show
the same information.

Any other comments, suggestons, and concerns would be greatly
appreciated.


Thanks

Robert



_____________________________________________________________________
Robert P. McGraw, Jr.
Manager, Computer System                 EMAIL: rmcgraw AT purdue DOT edu
Purdue University                         ROOM: MATH-807
Department of Mathematics                PHONE: (765) 494-6055
150 N. University Street                   FAX: (419) 821-0540
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2067




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