A/UX: Remove Temp Files On Unsuccessful adduser Command (8/94)


I've just set up a server with A/UX. Everything works until I add a new user with the adduser command. I get the reply, "File busy, try again later."

Now I can't change passwd for anyone. I can login and logout as root, edit the /etc/passwd, and modify it with vi, but not with vipw. I can't change my own passwd as root with passwd command. I've even replaced /etc/passwd by /etc/opasswd, and still nothing has changed. I've also restarted the computer twice. I've changed all the privileges, and even changed the file by a user other than root.

I'm NOT running yellow pages (NIS), just networking with NFS, telnet, and so on.

You probably had an UNSUCCESSFUL attempt using the adduser command. The "vipw" may have incorrectly set the user password. In turn, it created two locked file called "ptmp" (password temp file), and "gtmp" (group temp file) in the /etc directory.

Removing the /etc/ptmp and /etc/gtmp locked files should take care of your problem.

Article Change History:
22 Aug 1994 - Added the reference to gtmp file.

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Published Date: Feb 18, 2012