FAQ
Account Questions
- How do I get a new UNIX account so I can log into the Linux and Solaris machines?
- What's this about home directory quotas? What's my current quota? Why do I get a message, "Disk quota exceeded"? Why can't I save anything to disk? Why won't my editor save or do anything?
- How do I edit the "Plan" that people see when they finger me? I have a .plan file; why can't people see it?
- How do I change the information people see when they finger my CS account (my real name, my phone number and address, etc)? How can i change the shell my CS account uses? How come 'chsh' doesn't work?
- How do I change the login name for my account?
- I forgot/lost the password to my account. How do I find out what it is or get it changed?
- I have a non-CS major account (tmpclass) right now, and I'll be eligible for a CS undergrad account (under) soon. Can I just get my current account changed to an under account?
- How do I forward my mail from my CS account to a different account? Why isn't my .forward file working? How can I get my mail forwarded someplace else after my account expires?
- When do user accounts expire? I just got a notice that my account is expiring-- what do I do?
- My CS account has expired. I have a CS account again now, and I was wondering if my old account was archived and if it would be possible for me to get my old files back?
- Why can't I save anything to disk? Why won't my editor save/do anything?
- I can't cd into (or list files in) the directory /stage/net/www/[something] (or /stage/[something], or /tmp_mnt/[something]) -- it says "No such file or directory." What's wrong?
How do I get a new UNIX account so I can log into the Linux and Solaris machines?
Go to https://udb.cs.utexas.edu/amut/acut/, log in with your UT EID, and follow the instructions.
What's this about home directory quotas? What's my current quota? Why do I get a message, "Disk quota exceeded"? Why can't I save anything to disk? Why won't my editor save or do anything?
Reluctantly, UTCS has started using hard quotas on home directories. You can read more about it at http://www.cs.utexas.edu/facilities/policies/utcs/disk_usage/
Not being able to save things to disk, or experiencing editor save failures are signs that your home directory may have reached quota. Check your disk usage (with du -sk) and see if you're using a lot of space. If so you will need to remove some files to continue working (and receiving email!) If not, and if the problem is still occurring, send mail to gripe@cs.utexas.edu describing the problem. We are NOT ABLE to raise your quota.
How do I edit the "Plan" that people see when they finger me? I have a .plan file; why can't people see it?
The "Plan" is a printout of a file named .plan in your home directory. For people to see it, the file must be world-readable and your home directory must be world-executable.
How do I change the information people see when they finger my CS account (my real name, my phone number and address, etc)? How can i change the shell my CS account uses? How come 'chsh' doesn't work?
To change any of your account information, send mail to udb@cs.utexas.edu from your CS email address with the new information and they will change it for you. This includes all settings you'd normally change with the chfn or chsh commands on a stand-alone unix system including login shell.
How do I change the login name for my account?
A login name is permanent for the life of an account, as stated on the account form; once the account has been created the login name cannot be changed.
I forgot/lost the password to my account. How do I find out what it is or get it changed?
We have no way of finding out what your password is, so you'll have to change it. You should visit our password update webpage and log in using your UTEID to change your password. Please read the instructions and information provided carefully. If that fails for some reason, go to Taylor 145 with a picture ID and talk to the staff there to have it changed. For security reasons, passwords are never sent via email. Also, any password update by any method can take a couple of hours to propogate through our network, so please be patient.
I have a non-CS major account (tmpclass) right now, and I'll be eligible for a CS undergrad account (under) soon. Can I just get my current account changed to an under account?
Yes. Contact udb@cs.utexas.edu after the beginning of the semester in which you become a CS major -- we don't get registration information until then -- and request your account be changed to an under account.
How do I forward my mail from my CS account to a different account? Why isn't my .forward file working? How can I get my mail forwarded someplace else after my account expires?
All mail forwarding on the CS system is handled by a central user account database; .forward files won't work. To get mail forwarded, send mail to udb@cs.utexas.edu with the address you'd like it forwarded to, and they'll set it up for you. Mail is never forwarded past the lifetime of an account, however, alumni can request a lifetime @alumni.cs.utexas.edu forwarding address. In case you want to learn more about how to use procmail on our systems, check out the FAQ on procmail.
When do user accounts expire? I just got a notice that my account is expiring -- what do I do?
You can see the expiration date for your account by typing finger username@cs.utexas.edu on the command line. Under and tmpclass accounts are automatically extended each semester provided the student who holds the account is enrolled in a Computer Science course that semester. For all types of accounts, notice will go out two weeks prior to expiration. If you have received an expiration notice, do the following, according to the type of account you have:
- under - contact the undergrad advising office - they must verify that you have not yet graduated and are still a CS major. They will then contact us to extend your account.
- tmpclass - email udb@cs.utexas.edu. If you are not enrolled in a qualifying CS class, however, your account will not be extended.
- grad - grad accounts are changed to guest accounts upon graduation and extended for one year. To keep your account beyond that, you will have to have a faculty sponsor. They must request that the account be extended.
- guest - an extension must be requested by the sponsor of the account. They will also receive the notice.
My CS account has expired. I have a CS account again now, and I was wondering whether my old account was archived and whether it would be possible for me to get my old files back?
Unfortunately, no. After an account has expired the files will not be restored.
Why can't I save anything to disk? Why won't my editor save/do anything?
These are signs that your home directory has reached quota. Check your disk usage (with du -sk) and see if you're using a lot of space; if not, and if the problem is still occurring, send mail to gripe@cs.utexas.edu describing the problem.
I can't cd into (or list files in) the directory /stage/net/www/[something] (or /stage/[something], or /tmp_mnt/[something]) -- it says "No such file or directory." What's wrong?
Neither /tmp_mnt nor /stage is a literal pathname; /tmp_mnt is a mount point provided by the automount system and cd'ing into it may not work or list all of the directories. You should never use either of these in specifying a unix pathname. In CS, the path to a user's home directory is /u/[login-name] and to a web directory is /u/[login-name]/public_html.
