Logging in to the operating system

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To use the operating system, your system must be running, and you must be logged in. When you log in to the operating system, you identify yourself to the system and allow the system to set up your environment.

Your system might be set up so that you can only log in during certain hours of the day and on certain days of the week. If you attempt to log in at a time other than the time allowed, access will be denied. Your system administrator can verify your login times.

You log in at the login prompt. When you log in to the operating system, you are automatically placed into your home directory (also called your login directory).

After your system is turned on, log in to the system to start a session.

Type your login name following the login: prompt:
```
login: LoginName
```
For example, if your login name is denise:
```
login: denise
```
If the password: prompt is displayed, type your password.
(The screen does not display your password as you type it.)
```
password: [your password] 
```

If the password prompt is not displayed, you have no password defined; you can begin working in the operating system.

If your machine is not turned on, do the following before you log in:

Set the power switches of each attached device to On.
Start the system unit by setting the power switch to On (I).
Look at the three-digit display. When the self-tests complete without error, the three-digit display is blank.

If an error requiring attention occurs, a three-digit code remains, and the system unit stops. See your system administrator for information about error codes and recovery.

When the self-tests complete successfully, a login prompt similar to the following is displayed on your screen:

login:

After you have logged in, depending on how your operating system is set up, your system will start up in either a command line interface (shell) or a graphical interface (for example, AIXwindows or Common Desktop Environment (CDE)).

If you have questions concerning the configuration of your password or user name, please consult your system administrator.