ML mail wrote: > I am trying to run cron from /etc/cron.d with the root account which > has password disabled in order not to be able to login as root but > when the cron entry wants to run it simply does not and show the > following error message in the log file: > > CRON[16785]: Authentication token is no longer valid; new one required
This reads to me that the password for root has expired. It is the state of an expired password that is a problem. When you say that the root password has been disabled what exactly do you mean by that statement? Did you 'passwd -e root'? If so that is the source of the problem. Root should not have an expired password. What does this say? Example from a system of mine. $ passwd --status root root P 05/01/2010 0 99999 7 -1 > Any idea how to run a cronjob from /etc/cron.d with the root account > disabled? I didn't have time to test this procedure but I would use 'passwd root' to change the password and to fix the expiration. (Actually *I* would simply edit the /etc/shadow file and fix it but for others I recommend using the tool to avoid a file editing mistake in that very critical file.) After updating the password I think the expiration problem will have been fixed. You don't actually ever have to use that password. Bob
signature.asc
Description: Digital signature
