passwd: Authentication token manipulation error

[Sourabh R. pandit]

Hello,
I added a few users  a couple of days back using useradd as below

> useradd -g CS315 berge403 -c "Expires in Jan06" -e 2006-01-01 
> useradd -g CS315 carso154 -c "Expires in Jan06" -e 2006-01-01 

Now new and old users alike, can'c hange their passwords.  they get the 
error message as below
> passwd 
passwd: Authentication token manipulation error

here are the relevant PAM files
pam.conf looks like 
    #
        # passwd service entry that does strength checking of
        # a proposed password before updating it.
        #
        passwd password requisite \
                    /usr/lib/security/pam_cracklib.so retry=3
        passwd password required \
                    /usr/lib/security/pam_unix.so use_authtok
        #

other
auth     required       /lib/security/pam_deny.so
account  required       /lib/security/pam_deny.so
password required       /lib/security/pam_deny.so
session  required       /lib/security/pam_deny.so

passwd
auth       required     pam_stack.so service=system-auth
account    required     pam_stack.so service=system-auth
password   required     pam_stack.so service=system-auth

I also deleted some uses the same time as i added new ones. I deleted them 
with userdel.

Anyone can please help  me?

Thanks

SP

-- 
=======================================
Sourabh Pandit
Computational Atmospheric Dynamics Lab
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
600, S. Clyde Morris Blvd,
Daytona Beach FL, 32114
(386)  226  4960 (O)