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Asking users to change their password using the command line is like asking them to play Russian roulette...

( Unable to change user password in Ubuntu 12.10

How recover encrypted home when lost because user password was changed with root? )

And anyway, it's vulgar.

But the GUI shows no sign of a password form and gives no help at all to a user looking to change their password. If you go to that nameless system menu with the funny logo on the task bar, you can find under 'System' a 'Users Settings' menu that looks like it ought to have an option to change the user password. But it doesn't. If you click on help and type 'password', nothing comes up. If you open 'Settings Manager' from the funny menu and type password nothing comes up.

So how does an Ubuntu-Studio user change their password without getting their hands dirty and risking calamity?

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markling
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  • The problem you are having is a security feature, not a bug. When a user's directory is encrypted, root can not access the files simply by changing the password. Other then that, there is nothing wrong with using the command line to change a users password, it is perfectly safe. – Panther Jan 13 '16 at 14:26
  • Are you saying it can't be done by the GUI? Sounds like neither a feature nor a bug but an oversight. Making users change passwords on the command line is uncivilised. – markling Jan 13 '16 at 23:34
  • If you are using encrypted home directories , the user (not root or anyone else) MUST use the GUI interface to change their password (well one can do it with the command line, but it is much more complicated and requires knowledge of the original password). The command line is a powerful tool and as you are new to Linux I suggest you check your attitude at the door. See http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/1acupoftea.html – Panther Jan 14 '16 at 11:56
  • This is a SECURITY FEATURE TO PREVENT ROOT FROM ACCESSING AN ENCRYPTED HOME DIRECTORY BY CHANGING A USERS PASSWORD. – Panther Jan 14 '16 at 14:13
  • I've been using linux since 2008. Nothing wrong with my attitude here. Why are you shouting? Your statement makes no sense to me as a user anyway. Who said anything about root changing my password? I want to change it. I want to change it in my GUI, where I know I am safe. – markling Jan 14 '16 at 16:08

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You can change the password via the GUI on XFCE by following these steps.

First open the all settings from the menu, now choose users and groupsfrom the bottom and click change next to the password

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enter image description here

Now just enter your new password and click OK.

Mark Kirby
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  • Nice gaphics. Fortunately, my GUI is xfce. Unfortunately, its user settings dialogue doesn't have an option to change the password like the one you display here. – markling Jan 13 '16 at 23:36
  • Changed to xfce – Mark Kirby Jan 14 '16 at 09:49
  • Oh, thank you. How silly. I checked the xfce password form twice yesterday to be sure there was no option to change. And then I checked it again when you posted your Gnome advice. It definitely wasn't there. And now I check again, and it is. How silly. I must need help. Funny thing is, I am using the 'High Contrast' windows style, which is designed for people who have trouble seeing things. The 'change' button is not very visible at all. It's barely even a button. I really could swear it wasn't there yesterday. Still, no matter. – markling Jan 14 '16 at 16:58
  • Easy solution ... well explained ! :) – cl-netbox Jan 16 '16 at 09:36