How to change your password
In general on the maths systems you have a single username and password.
Information is also available on general password and computer systems security.
Often the simplest way to change your password is via the departmental website:
- Open a web browser
- Visit the Mathematical Institute home page, i.e. http://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/
- Log in using the box in the lower left of the page.
- Then visit the URL https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/maths_users/change-password/ and follow the instructions on-screen.
On a departmental Linux machine you can also change your password via the command line:
- Log in to the machine
- Start a terminal window (typically there is an icon for this in the top panel or you can start it from the Applications -> Accessories menu)
- In the terminal window type passwd and press enter
- Now follow the on screen prompts which will ask you to enter your current password and then type in a new password twice (to make sure you type it accurately)
Forgotten Password?
If your password does not work there could be several reasons:
- Your account has expired - At 28, 7 and 1 days to go before an account is set to expire the account receives warning emails. As such your account should not expire without you being aware (unless you failed to setup mail forwarding on the account and also did not check the account email regularly).
- Incorrect username - if you email help [-at-] maths [dot] ox [dot] ac [dot] uk we can confirm your username
- Incorrect password - if you have forgotten your password then in general you need to visit a computing officer to get it reset (it is impossible for us to decrypt your existing password). We will only reset your password with proof of ID (your university card). We cannot in general give out a new password over the phone since we will not in general be sure who we are talking to. We cannot send out passwords via email as email is not secure and again we cannot be sure who is actually reading/receiving the email. If you cannot visit an IT officer in person it may be possible to have a new password set which is then passed to your course administrator or organiser (or someone else) who knows you and can pass it on securely.