Ubuntu
adduser package

  1. Bug #432964
  2. Comment #11

Comment 11 for bug 432964

Revision history for this message
Tuomas Aavikko (taavikko) wrote : Re: [Bug 432964] Re: usermod fails: "cannot lock /etc/passwd"

2009/9/20 Milan Bouchet-Valat <email address hidden>

> This bug does not seem to be GNOME specific since the problem happens in
> usermod. Maybe KDE does not use usermod.
>

Tested usermod in KDE setup in konsole, it worked.
This computer is running Karmic upgraded from Jaunty

> Have you tried running the usermod commandline from a fresh boot, i.e.
> before you tried to edit the user with users-admin? Maybe that's the
> program that is locking /etc/passwd (via the backends).
>

Yes, newest attempt was moments ago with up-to-dated and restarted GNOME.
usermod fails, with previous errors.
this computer is running cleanly installed Karmic.

> As lslk did not return anything, could you try 'fuser /etc/passwd' too?

No output from this, nothing is using the file.

Small detail noticed, in KDE the /etc/passwd does not include ",,," after
the real name.
like wise: devil:x:1000:1000:Tuomas Aavikko:/home/devil:/bin/bash

but in GNOME: tta:x:1000:1000:tta,,,:/home/tta:/bin/bash

ps. sorry for late response, stupid work :)