package policykit 0.9-4ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade with "useradd: cannot lock /etc/passwd; try again later."

[melon.sp4nk]

WORKAROUND: sudo rm /etc/*.lock (thanks to melon.sp4nk)

Binary package hint: policykit

while xubuntu-desktop install via synaptic

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: amd64
Date: Mon Mar 8 13:24:02 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Package: policykit 0.9-4ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-20.57-generic
SourcePackage: policykit
Title: package policykit 0.9-4ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-20-generic x86_64

[melon.sp4nk (melon-sp4nk)]

because of:

"useradd: cannot lock /etc/passwd; try again later."

fix:

sudo rm /etc/*.lock

[shankao (shankao)]

@melon.sp4nk: the status change to "fix commited" should be made when the error is fixed in the package itself, instead of that manual workaround (anyway, thanks for it!), as a less experienced user can have problems with it.

Annotating the workaround in the bug's description and setting status back to new.

[shankao (shankao)]

Confirmed after 3 other duplicate reports found