net usershare add: share name is already a valid system user name

[SaturnusDJ]

Thank you.
I only want to share the dir as 'Games,' nothing else.
Is it save to try deleting that user?

[Iowan]

Looks like my system already has backups of passwd and shadow, but before I deleted the games user, I'd want a current backup/copy to use if something went very wrong. Then, depending on your courage, you could either sudo deluser, or just edit the username in the two files (change it to something like gamer. Either way might break something.

[SaturnusDJ]

So it actually is possible to permanently fck up Ubuntu when renaming/deleting the user?

[Iowan]

...removing the home directory as option or even all files on the system owned by the user to be removed, running a custom script, and other features.

From man deluser - with the right options, everything owned by the user could be deleted. If you decide that wasn't the thing to do...
The default action by deluser may not be quite so drastic. Renaming may make the files difficult to get to - but it's reversible.

[SaturnusDJ]

What do you suggest?

Priority:
1. System MUST continue working without things messed up.
2. Sharename should be nothing else then: Games.

[Iowan]

I'd probably use sudo nano /etc/passwd and sudo nano /etc/shadow to rename the user games to gamer and try the Samba share again.

[SaturnusDJ]

Can you please give the exact commands? (I'm new to Linux.)
Google search 'sudo nano' didn't had any usefull outputs.

[Iowan]

man nano lists options, but here are the steps:

1. CTRL-ALT-F1 (This opens a terminal - actually selects tty1)
2. Login with your username and password.
3. Type sudo nano /etc/passwd <ENTER>
4. [sudo] password for <yourusername>: (enter your password)
5. Arrow down to games (line #6 on my system)
6. Arrow right to "s" - use <DELETE> or <BACKSPACE> to delete "s", type "r".
7. Type CTRL-O (filename will appear above command list)
8. Press ENTER (this will cause file to be written)
9. Type CTRL-X ( exits nano).
10. Type sudo nano /etc/shadow <ENTER>
11. Repeat step 4, if necessary (System might not ask for password)
12. Repeat steps 5-9.

CTRL-ALT-F7 gets back to desktop. Instead of CTRL-ALT-F1, you can also use a terminal from Applications>Accessories>Terminal.

If you'd prefer to make a backup first, before step 3:
Type sudo cp /etc/passwd /etc/passwd~
Type sudo cp /etc/shadow /etc/shadow~

[SaturnusDJ]

It's been a busy week but I followed your instructions some minutes ago.

The backups are saved and the username 'games' is changed to 'gamer.'
Since then it was possible to share the map 'Games.'

Thank you very much for you effort and time.

[albinootje]

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