Password Change SMB Unix User accounts

Password change on SSRL Macromolecular Crystallography Group computers

If you have a valid account on our UNIX computers, these instructions allows you to change your password for that account.

Starting on January 2022, an email from passhelp@smb-mail.slac.stanford.edu will be sent 14, 7, 3, 2 and 1 days before the password expiration date followed by a final reminder the date the password expires.

Note! If your password has expired, please contact SSRL Crystallography Group staff for help at PX_Accounts@LISTSERV.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU.

1. Connect via NXClient or ssh to any of our servers (smbnxs1.slac.stanford.edu or smbnxs2.slac.stanford.edu)
2. Launch a terminal and run the ‘passwd’ command

Some basic sanity checks of the new password will be made to avoid using passwords that can be easily guessed. You might be prompted to try again. To pass the sanity checks the password has to fulfill the following criteria:

• at least 8 characters in length
• contain minium 3 out of 4 character classes, classes being:
• lower case letters
• upper case letters
• numeric characters
• symbols and sign characters
• cannot contain a dictionary word
• cannot significantly resemble your old password