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I wanted to change my username on my computer running Ubuntu 14.04. I tried sudo mv old name/ new name/ in home.

I restarted and now I cannot log in. I enter my password and nothing happens.
It is asking for the password again, without even any message like "invalid password" for example.

A.B.
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Olymbia
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  • Your computer name or your user name? – A.B. Mar 27 '15 at 11:06
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    Firts, follow A.B.'s advice to restore the previous state of your system. Afterwards I would like to know, what you mean by “change my computer name”. “computer name” usually refers to the machine name (the part after the @ in the terminal prompt), but it looks like you may actually want to change your user account name. – David Foerster Mar 27 '15 at 11:07
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    Yes sorry my username – Olymbia Mar 29 '15 at 10:33

1 Answers1

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If you did that really the way you described it, then you have moved your home folder to new folder.

It would look like this.

/home/new_name/old_name

The solution is to move the folder back.

Open a terminal or if that does not work Start the rescue mode in Grub.

  • Open a terminal

    • Ctrl+Alt+F1 (or Ctrl+Alt+F2 ...)
    • Continue with option 1 or option 2

  • Or Start the rescue mode in Grub.

    • Reboot your system
    • Repeatedly press Esc during boot
    • Select Ubuntu ... (recovery mode)
    • Select network necessary only for option 1
    • Select root
    • Continue with option 1 or option 2

Option 1 – the easy way

  • Install MidnightCommander (from the universe repositories) with:

    sudo apt-get install mc
  • Start with mc
  • Use the left panel for source /home/new_name and the right panel for target /home
  • Select all in the left panel with Ctrl+A
  • Move all from left to right with F6
  • Once finished, close the programm with Esc and then 0

Option 2

  • Move the folder back

For Option 1 and Option 2

  • If you're in rescue mode
    • Press Ctrl+C
    • restart your system
  • If you're not in rescue mode
    • Press Ctrl+D
    • Login in the GUI
Fabby
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A.B.
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  • If it's just a case of moved home folders, using the TTYs would be simpler than using the rescue mode (no options to pick, your login would work, etc.). – muru Mar 28 '15 at 00:17
  • He can't login! – A.B. Mar 28 '15 at 07:09
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    To the GUI. The TTY doesn't care for his home directory. – muru Mar 28 '15 at 11:29
  • @Olymbia Were you satisfied with my answer? Then give me a upvote (∧). If I could solve your problem, then it would be nice if you'd mark my answer (✓). – A.B. Apr 18 '15 at 14:41
  • I have no idea why but your comment just now popped up on my notifications. O.o – muru Apr 18 '15 at 14:42