Comment 34 for bug 523896

Revision history for this message
Mark - Syminet (mark-syminet) wrote : Re: [Bug 523896] Re: useradd: cannot lock /etc/passwd; try again later.

I could fix this myself if it wasn't for unbelievably
ridiculous shit like this:

On Ubuntu:

root@38r8:~# set |wc -l
6705

…on standard Debian:

4r6s1:~# set | wc -l
50
4r6s1:~#

…really? *Really*?

On Sep 23, 2012, at 4:50 PM, Dmitrijs Ledkovs wrote:

> On 23 September 2012 23:43, larrycornutt <email address hidden> wrote:
>> ** Changed in: shadow (Ubuntu Precise)
>> Status: Fix Committed => Fix Released
>>
>
> No, it was not. The package in precise-proposed and is still pending
> verification. If it passes verification that the bug will be fix
> released in precise, if verification will not be passed the package
> with this fixed will be removed from precise-proposed.
>
> Please help to verify this update as outlined in comment #30 above.
> URL: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/shadow/+bug/523896/comments/30
>
> Regards,
>
> Dmitrijs.
>
>
> ** Changed in: shadow (Ubuntu Quantal)
> Status: Fix Released => Fix Committed
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/523896
>
> Title:
> useradd: cannot lock /etc/passwd; try again later.
>
> Status in “shadow” package in Ubuntu:
> Fix Committed
> Status in “shadow” source package in Precise:
> Fix Released
> Status in “shadow” source package in Quantal:
> Fix Committed
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: postfix
>
> Ubuntu 9.10, via Update Manager.
>
> SOLUTION:
>
> Look for /etc/group.lock, /etc/passwd.lock and /etc/shadow.lock files
> and remove them.
>
> Be careful to only remove the files ending in 'lock' or else you might
> damage your system.
>
> Please do not add comments just containing "Me too", instead please provide any information that could indicate why the files were locked:
> * the list of locked files:
> ls /etc/passwd.lock /etc/shadow.lock /etc/group.lock /etc/gshadow.lock
>
> * check the /var/log/auth.log for any message that could indicate the
> failure of any other tool (prior to the failure which reported the
> locked file)
>
> * any abnormal operation on the machine (reset, shutdown while the
> computer is still running)
>
> == SRU template ==
>
> [IMPACT]
>
> * Locked files prevent adding/removing/modifying system users & groups
> * This can result in failure to upgrade/remove packages that use system user names
> * The applied fix is to clear the locks on booting.
>
> [TESTCASE]
>
> * $ sudo touch /etc/passwd.lock
> * $ sudo adduser testing523896
> * FAIL
> * Upgrade to new package
> * $ sudo adduser testing523896
> * FAIL
> * $ sudo reboot (or shutdown & poweron machine in any other way)
> * $ sudo adduser testing523896
> * PASS
>
> * Also you can touch the locks, check that they are there and run `$
> sudo start passwd` to clear them.
>
> [Regression Potential]
>
> * We are adding an extra job which will always run at boot, which will have a tiny impact on boot performance
>
> * The new job can be mis-used directly via `$ sudo start passwd`, but root user could clear the locks in the exact same way as well, before introducing this upstart job.
>
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>