Upgrading 5.2.1 to 5.3R2 (Maybe a problem adding a user) [SOLVED]

[Hexren]

GS> Gerard Samuel wrote:

>> Gerard Samuel wrote:
>>
>>> Ok, so I upgraded, ran mergemaster, and merged /etc/group (and 
>>> /etc/master.passwd I think) via mergemaster.
>>> I merged those files to retain my non root user account.
>>> I rebooted, and I haven't been able to log into my non root account.
>>> I tried to readd the account via adduser, but it says that the user 
>>> already exists.
>>> So I tried rmuser, and it says that the user doesn't exist.
>>> So I manually removed the account name from /etc/group, 
>>> /etc/master.passwd, /etc/passwd,
>>> and tried to add the user, via adduser.
>>> When it tries to add the user, it fails (dont remember the message 
>>> right now).
>>
>>

>>> Anyone has any suggestions on how I can get the old user account back??
>>> N.B. I did back up /etc before mergemaster...
>>> Thanks 
>>
GS> Well I got it working again.  Im not sure what fixed it, but I believe 
GS> running vipw fixed what was wrong with it...


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You've read this ?
http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=passwd&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+5.2.1-RELEASE+and+Ports&format=html
And you do understand that you should run "pwd_mkdb" after manually
editing the passwd file (vipw actually does that for you) ?

My take on your problem would be that you merged the 2 files and did
not run pwd_mkdb after that which led to an inconsistent state between
/etc/passwd/ and /etc/master.passwd  which is the main user database.
Take that with a grant of suspection as I am really no expert ;)

mfg
Hexren