Re: [webmin-l] Virtualmin Deinstall/Install losing configuration

[Roger B.A. K. <ro...@qu...>]

Joe Cooper wrote:

> Hey Roger,
>
> I know it's too late for you in this case, but I'd like to chime in 
> here to state emphatically that one should /never/ uninstall/reinstall 
> a previously working piece of server software that has be configured 
> for your environment in order to try to fix a problem with that 
> software (any problem).  Something like Webmin has dozens of 
> configuration files that will be removed during the uninstallation 
> process, and sometimes their removal can be very uncomfortable...



Most software products that require configuration files, registry 
settings, etc. exither explcitly ask if you intend to delete the 
configuration, or remove only the software and leave the configuration.

> Losing all of that data is a much bigger problem than the very small 
> problem of not being able to login.


Actually, since we don't use subdomains, child sites or email -- 
basically, use Virtualmin just as a simple website templating -- it was 
no big calamity.

> Beyond that, the solution is definitely not blank passwords.  ;-)


Um, blank passwords ON THE IMPORT.

The accounts already exist, and we are using Unix authentication.  So 
the only use for the stored passwords is proper applciaiton to the 
managed database.  That should be achievable by having the users change 
their passwords to the current password.

> I might be wrong about my assertions (I don't manage any servers with 
> heavy, or possibly even any, MySQL usage...so I might be missing some 
> of the nuances of the situation), but I'm sure we can get it all 
> resolved without too much pain or opening up your server to the 
> insecurity of blank passwords (which would still be subject to the 
> same problems temporary passwords would have). 


Again, unless I misunderstand something, importing with a blank 
password, especially when set for Unix authentication, does not provide 
any securiy risk.

(As for your not usinmg MySQL -- well, sure, I don't use webmail, and 
for that matter, don't understand why you guys even bothered to include 
it when there are so many other webmail packages...!)