Can't lock password file

[Alan Bort <333101 personal net py>]

I have problems creating a User: here is my output:


[root gandalf etc]# useradd guest
useradd: unable to lock password file


the permissions on the relevant files:

-rw-r--r--    1 root     root         1807 jun 22 14:43 passwd
-rw-------    1 root     root         1770 jun 22 05:03 passwd-
-rw-------    1 root     root            5 jun 22 14:43 passwd.lock
-r--------    1 root     root          554 jun 22 14:43 gshadow
-rw-------    1 root     root          545 jun 22 05:03 gshadow-
-rw-------    1 root     root            5 jun 22 14:43 gshadow.lock
-r--------    1 root     root         1141 jun 22 14:43 shadow
-rw-------    1 root     root         1082 jun 22 05:03 shadow-
-rw-------    1 root     root            5 jun 22 14:43 shadow.lock

I've installed RH five hours ago... and this is the second user I'm
trying to create... the first one worked perfectly... what could be
happening???


Thanks a lot.

PS: what is to lock password file?



-- 
Alan Bort
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