On 25.01.2015 04:30, Always Learning wrote: > > useradd --help > > -d, --home-dir HOME_DIR home directory for the new user account > -M, do not create user's home directory > yet > useradd -M -s /sbin/nologin FRED > > produces in /etc/passwd > > fred:x:504:504::/home/fred:/sbin/nologin > > Trying again with > > useradd -d /dev/null -s /sbin/nologin doris > > gives a CLI message > > useradd: warning: the home directory already exists. > Not copying any file from skel directory into it. > > and in /etc/password > > doris:x:505:505::/dev/null:/sbin/nologin > > QUESTION > > What is the 'official' method of creating a user with no home directory > and no log-on ability ? Your first invocation seemed to look fine. What result do you expect to get? Every user needs a home directory in /etc/passwd even if it doesn't exist. Regards, Dennis