Linux – “userdel –root?” supposed to do

linuxoptions

On a GNU/Linux system, I found the following, (for me very confusing seeming entry) about an option for userdel in the German version of its man page:

found this in the German version of <code>man 8 userdel</code>but can't find this option in, say, English

I'm truly sorry, but I can't really provide you with a translation because a) I don't understand what it means (even with German as mother-tongue) and b) I don't understand what this option is supposed to do.

Best Answer

Here's the version from my English manpage:

 -R, --root CHROOT_DIR
     Apply changes in the CHROOT_DIR directory and use the
     configuration files from the CHROOT_DIR directory.

In other words, instead of editing /etc/passwd and friends, you're editing CHROOT_DIR/etc/passwd.

For example, you might boot a live CD, mount the hard drive as /mnt, and then use -R /mnt to edit its users.

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