How to set user passwords using passwd without a prompt?

Try usermod:

usermod --password PASSWORD USERNAME

The only thing is this needs a pre-encrypted password string which you'd have to generate first.

You should look at the chpasswd command (if available in your linux flavor):

echo 'userid:newpasswd' | chpasswd

Or, you can cat a file listing userid:passwd for each account on a separate line.

That's it.

Inspired by Eric Smith's idea, combining openssl passwd and usermod -p command worked. Generate hashed value of password along with salt value.

$ openssl passwd -1  -salt 5RPVAd clear-text-passwd43
$1$5RPVAd$vgsoSANybLDepv2ETcUH7.

Then, copy the encrypted string to usermod. Make sure to wrap it with single quote.

$ usermod -p '$1$5RPVAd$vgsoSANybLDepv2ETcUH7.' root

Check it out in shadow file.

$ grep root /etc/shadow
root:$1$5RPVAd$vgsoSANybLDepv2ETcUH7.:17774:0:99999:7:::

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