Username Modification

This page explains the Username Modification screen in the GoAdmio Admin Panel. It lets you change the system username of an existing hosting account.

Location: Admin Panel → Accounts & Plans → Username Modification

Overview

Every hosting account in GoAdmio has a system username — the Linux user that owns the account's files, runs its PHP processes, and identifies the account at the OS level. The username typically matches the primary domain (e.g., domain example.com → user example).

Username Modification changes that username. This is a deeper operation than changing the primary domain, because the username is tied to:

• The home directory path (usually /home/<username>)
• File ownership across the account's files
• MySQL user names and grants
• Email account system users
• FTP account system users
• Cron job ownership
• SSH/shell access

When to Change the Username

| Scenario | Change username? |
|---|---|
| Customer wants the account to match a new domain name | ✅ Yes — after changing the primary domain, if desired |
| The current username is confusing or typo'd at creation | ✅ Yes |
| You are consolidating accounts and want consistent naming | ✅ Yes |
| Customer wants a "prettier" login name | ✅ Yes — but note login is usually by domain, not username |
| Customer only wants a new domain | ❌ No — use Change Primary Domain |

> Tip: The customer usually logs in to the User Panel with their domain, not the system username. If the goal is just to change the login URL, changing the primary domain is sufficient.

Prerequisites

Before changing a username:

1. Take a full backup of the account. See Backup Wizard and Schedule Snapshot.
2. Confirm the new username is valid — lowercase letters, digits, and underscores; typically 1–16 characters; must start with a letter; must not already exist on the server.
3. Ensure the new username is not reserved — avoid root, admin, mysql, mail, www, nobody, apache, ftp, etc.
4. Notify the customer — the change affects their home directory path and may require updating scripts, cron jobs, and hard-coded paths.
5. Stop the account's running processes — web, cron, and mail processes must be stopped so file ownership can be changed safely.

How to Change the Username

1. Log in to the GoAdmio Admin Panel.
2. Navigate to Accounts & Plans → Username Modification.
3. Select the account.
4. Enter the new username.
5. Review the summary of what will change.
6. Confirm.

• Renaming the home directory /home/<old> → /home/<new>
• Updating file ownership (chown -R <new>:<new> /home/<new>)
• Renaming the system user and group
• Updating MySQL users and grants
• Updating FTP and email service configuration
• Updating cron job ownership
• Updating the panel's account record

What Changes

| Item | Changes? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| System username | ✅ Yes | Replaced with the new username |
| Home directory path | ✅ Yes | /home/<old> → /home/<new> |
| File ownership | ✅ Yes | All files re-owned by the new user |
| MySQL user names | ⚠️ Depends | Users named after the old username may be renamed |
| Email system users | ⚠️ Depends | Email accounts are usually unchanged but their system user may update |
| FTP accounts | ⚠️ Depends | System-side FTP users are updated |
| Cron jobs | ⚠️ Depends | Ownership changes; cron tab may need verification |
| Primary domain | ❌ No | See Change Primary Domain |
| Website content | ❌ No | Files remain, but hard-coded absolute paths will break |
| Databases | ❌ No | Database contents unchanged |
| SSL certificates | ❌ No | Unchanged |

> Warning: Scripts, applications, and configuration files that reference /home/<old> (absolute paths) will break after the rename. Search the account for hard-coded paths before proceeding.

After Changing the Username

| Task | Why |
|---|---|
| Verify file ownership | Confirm ls -la /home/<new> shows the new owner |
| Check cron jobs | Run crontab -u <new> -l to confirm jobs are intact |
| Verify MySQL users | Check grants with MySQL Databases |
| Test website | Confirm the site loads and PHP can write to the correct paths |
| Test email | Confirm mail delivery still works; see Email Accounts |
| Test FTP | Confirm FTP login works with the new username if applicable |
| Test SSH/shell | Confirm shell access works if enabled |
| Run Fix Permissions | Repair any ownership issues caused by the rename |
| Update the customer | Inform them of the new username and home path if relevant |

Related Pages

• Change Primary Domain — change the account's main domain
• Modify Account — change other account settings
• Password Modification — change the account password
• Fix Permissions — repair file ownership
• Cron Jobs — verify scheduled jobs after the rename
• MySQL Databases — check database users and grants
• FTP Accounts — verify FTP logins
• Manage Shell Access — verify shell access
• Backup Wizard — take a backup before the change

Troubleshooting

| Problem | Likely cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| "Username already exists" | Another account or system user has the name | Choose a different username; check /etc/passwd |
| Website returns 500 after rename | File ownership not updated, or hard-coded path | Run Fix Permissions; search for /home/<old> in config files |
| Cron jobs not running | Ownership mismatch | Verify with crontab -u <new> -l; recreate jobs if needed |
| MySQL access denied | Grants still reference the old username | Update grants via MySQL Databases |
| FTP login fails | FTP config not updated | Check FTP accounts in FTP Accounts; recreate if necessary |
| Email delivery fails | System user for mail not updated | Check mail service config; recreate email accounts if necessary |
| Rename partially applied | Process was interrupted | Restore from the backup taken before the change, then retry |
| Cannot log in as the account | Panel session invalidated | Log in as admin and use Password Modification |