i have a 4 computers and i was trying to learn to use ssh and scp when i read a howto where that said if i had the same username and passwd across computers it wld be easier. So I tried to chnge my username in a a text file this command $vipw -s put me in.
I edited the user name then proceeded to chnge the username in /etc/group
logged out and tried to log back in w/my new username and old psswd of course this did not work.

As root when i look in /home/user -- the old username is still attached to my acct. Everything is still there and i can access it as root from CLI - So my main concern is to preverse all my favoirites, and text files as they contain all notes related to what i have been learning to do with slackware. After that if i can't get back into my profile, guess i have to start frm scratch with settings and such.

I have looked at: man 5 passwd
pwconv 8
pwunconv 8
sulogin 8
shadow 5
login.def 5
grpck 8
pwck
groupmod
grpck operates on /etc/group /etc/gshadow
To see if i cld get myself back into my profile. I am posting here b/c the solution has to be slackware 12.1 specific. Can someone help with this? Thank you

Try changing (as root) the ownership of the folder and files from your old username to your new username. You should then be able to copy or move your notes etc to your new account.

thank you, i inserted the actual usernames in the command... and got: Bash syntax error near unexpected token 'newline' ---?

Once I do this i shld be able to login w/ the new username and old passwrd, correct? To copy and move files.

I might have misread your post. To clarify, did you create a new user account or just change the name of an existing account?

Just changed the username of an existing account. Thank you for looking at this. I won't be doing that again.

You also need to change the username in /etc/passwd (using 'vipw' without the -s option).

uha! I pulled out my print out of slackbook chap 12.1.1-12.1.3 and with your help managed to just revert back to my old username - then from root used passwd username rebooted and i am in.
*********Thing is you can't just change the username because it stays linked to the /home/olduser****

In any case to make things easier for ssh on a lan dummy me just needs to create a ssh group right?

Next lesson for me is to backup and export from this box tagged for server use to my new Desktop box, also i want to create slackware update mirror so i can start giving back.... thanks