Adduser devel - Jun 2006 - Bug#372280: adduser fails: "configuration error - unknown item"

Package: adduser
Version: 3.87

"adduser" produces a lot of error messages about unrecognized
parameters, which may or may not be harmless. This may indicate a
conflict with some version of another package, but it''s not clear to me
which one.

related packages:

passwd : v1:4.0.15-10
debconf : v1.5.1

The first example below shows "adduser" being invoked directly from
the
command line. The other two examples show the same problem occurring
when "apt-get" tries to create system userids while installing other
packages.


-- Ian Bruce



-------

# adduser gdubya
Adding user `gdubya''...
Adding new group `gdubya'' (1002).
configuration error - unknown item ''FAIL_DELAY'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''QUOTAS_ENAB'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''NOLOGIN_STR'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''ENV_HZ'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''PASS_MAX_LEN'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''CHFN_AUTH'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''CLOSE_SESSIONS'' (notify
administrator)
Adding new user `gdubya'' (1002) with group `gdubya''.
configuration error - unknown item ''FAIL_DELAY'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''QUOTAS_ENAB'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''NOLOGIN_STR'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''ENV_HZ'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''PASS_MAX_LEN'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''CHFN_AUTH'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''CLOSE_SESSIONS'' (notify
administrator)

-------

Setting up nfs-common (1.0.7-17) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/nfs-common ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/default/nfs-common ...
Adding system user `statd''...
Adding new user `statd'' (110) with group `nogroup''.
configuration error - unknown item ''QUOTAS_ENAB'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''NOLOGIN_STR'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''ENV_HZ'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''PASS_MAX_LEN'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''CHFN_AUTH'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''CLOSE_SESSIONS'' (notify
administrator)

-------

Setting up gdm (2.14.5-1) ...
Adding group `gdm'' (107)...
configuration error - unknown item ''FAIL_DELAY'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''QUOTAS_ENAB'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''NOLOGIN_STR'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''ENV_HZ'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''PASS_MAX_LEN'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''CHFN_AUTH'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''CLOSE_SESSIONS'' (notify
administrator)
Done.
adduser: Warning: The home dir you specified already exists.
Adding system user `gdm'' with uid 104...
Adding new user `gdm'' (104) with group `gdm''.
configuration error - unknown item ''FAIL_DELAY'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''QUOTAS_ENAB'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''NOLOGIN_STR'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''ENV_HZ'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''PASS_MAX_LEN'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''CHFN_AUTH'' (notify
administrator)
configuration error - unknown item ''CLOSE_SESSIONS'' (notify
administrator)

Processing commands for control@bugs.debian.org:
> reassign #372280 shadow
Bug#372280: adduser fails: "configuration error - unknown item"
Bug reassigned from package `adduser'' to `shadow''.
> thanks
Stopping processing here.

Please contact me if you need assistance.

Debian bug tracking system administrator
(administrator, Debian Bugs database)

reassign #372280 shadow
thanks

On Fri, Jun 09, 2006 at 02:03:56AM -0700, Ian Bruce
wrote:
> "adduser" produces a lot of error messages about unrecognized
> parameters, which may or may not be harmless. This may indicate a
> conflict with some version of another package, but it''s not clear
to me
> which one.
> 
> related packages:
> 
> passwd : v1:4.0.15-10
> debconf : v1.5.1
> 
> configuration error - unknown item ''FAIL_DELAY'' (notify
administrator)
The string cannot be found in adduser, but in shadow. I suspect that
there is something wrong with your /etc/login.defs file.

I''ll reassign to shadow for more detailed analysis. Shadow team, if I
am wrong and the error is really in adduser, please reassign back.

Greetings
Marc

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marc Haber         | "I don''t trust Computers. They | Mailadresse
im Header
Mannheim, Germany  |  lose things."    Winona Ryder | Fon: *49 621 72739834
Nordisch by Nature |  How to make an American Quilt | Fax: *49 621 72739835

This one time, at band camp, Ian Bruce said:
> "adduser" produces a lot of error messages about unrecognized
> parameters, which may or may not be harmless. This may indicate a
> conflict with some version of another package, but it''s not clear
to me
> which one.
You have these directives set in /etc/login.defs.  My understanding is
that they have been deprecated for some time, but now they create a 
warning message.  This is not a bug in adduser (in fact, I''m not sure
it''s a bug at all - programs do change the acceptable options in their
conf files over time, and it''s not a good idea to automatedly overwrite
an edited config file on upgrade).

Others, I leave it to you whether or not you want to reassign this to
login (the package responsible for login.defs) or just close it.  I can
see arguments both ways.

Take care,
-- 
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
|   ,''''`.                                            Stephen
Gran |
|  : :'' :                                        sgran@debian.org |
|  `. `''                        Debian user, admin, and developer |
|    `-                                     http://www.debian.org |
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
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