How to Temporarily Disable User Logins

1. Become superuser or assume an equivalent role.

2. Create the /etc/nologin file by using an editor.

   # vi /etc/nologin

3. Include a message about system availability.

4. Close and save the file.

   Create this file to disallow user logins during system shutdown or routine maintenance. If a user attempts to log in to a system where the nologin file exists, the contents of this file are displayed. Then, the user login is terminated.

   Superuser logins are not affected. For more information, see the nologin(4) man page.

Example—Disabling User Logins

This example shows how to notify users of system unavailability.

# vi /etc/nologin
(Add system message here)
 
# cat /etc/nologin 
***No logins permitted.***

***The system will be unavailable until 12 noon.***

You can also bring the system to run level 0, single-user mode. For information on bringing the system to single-user mode, see “Shutting Down a System (Tasks)” in System Administration Guide: Basic Administration.