From owner-freebsd-questions  Tue Apr 18 10:49:53 2000
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From: <c.raven@ukonline.co.uk>
To: <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject: vipw - pwd.db locked
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 18:44:17 +0100
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I made a real booboo.
Whilst trying to change a user password on a FreeBSD 3.2 box (as root), I
typed:

#chpass <username>

A vi session opened on this user which then dropped out. Now I can't access
the /etc/pwd.db file via 'vipw' - I just get:

vipw: the password db file is busy

I can see a lockfile in there .......... '/etc/pw.C39454'

But, even if I move it, the same error arises. How do I unlock my password
file? Can I resume the session?

#vi -r pw.C39454

Gives: 'No files named pw.C39454, readable by you, to recover'
I have searched the mal archive but none of the answers in there match up
with this problem. I also can't find an answer to this on any of the 'Vi'
sites. This is really quite urgent as no user changes/additions/removals can
now take place on this mahine  :o(  !



TIA,
Chris R.


P.S.  Please CC me as I'm not currently subscribed



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