I may have some helpful info. I received the same error from adduser
even after having removed all symlinks from /etc/skel.
/etc/skel ownership was set to root:adm. However, the error went away
when I reset the ownership of /etc/skel to root:root. Here''s a
transcript:
ladmin@atlas:~$ ls -ld /etc/skel
drwxr-x--- 25 root adm 4096 2005-04-14 08:34 /etc/skel
ladmin@atlas:~$ sudo adduser turner
Adding user `turner''...
make: Entering directory `/var/yp''
make[1]: Entering directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
Updating netid.byname...
make[1]: Leaving directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
make: Leaving directory `/var/yp''
Adding new group `turner'' (1001).
make: Entering directory `/var/yp''
make[1]: Entering directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
Updating group.byname...
Updating group.bygid...
Updating netid.byname...
make[1]: Leaving directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
make: Leaving directory `/var/yp''
Adding new user `turner'' (1001) with group `turner''.
make: Entering directory `/var/yp''
make[1]: Entering directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
Updating passwd.byname...
Updating passwd.byuid...
Updating netid.byname...
Updating shadow.byname...
make[1]: Leaving directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
make: Leaving directory `/var/yp''
Creating home directory `/home/turner''.
Copying files from `/etc/skel''
Use of uninitialized value in symlink at /usr/sbin/adduser line 695,
<FIND> line 339.
symlink: No such file or directory
Cleaning up.
Removing directory `/home/turner''
rm: cannot remove `/home/turner'': Permission denied
Removing user `turner''.
userdel: unable to lock password file
Removing group `turner''.
groupdel: cannot remove user''s primary group.
ladmin@atlas:~$ sudo chown root:root /etc/skel
ladmin@atlas:~$ ls -ld /etc/skel
drwxr-x--- 25 root root 4096 2005-04-14 08:34 /etc/skel
ladmin@atlas:~$ sudo adduser happyuser
Adding user `happyuser''...
make: Entering directory `/var/yp''
make[1]: Entering directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
Updating netid.byname...
make[1]: Leaving directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
make: Leaving directory `/var/yp''
Adding new group `happyuser'' (1009).
make: Entering directory `/var/yp''
make[1]: Entering directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
Updating group.byname...
Updating group.bygid...
Updating netid.byname...
make[1]: Leaving directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
make: Leaving directory `/var/yp''
Adding new user `happyuser'' (1009) with group `happyuser''.
make: Entering directory `/var/yp''
make[1]: Entering directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
Updating passwd.byname...
Updating passwd.byuid...
Updating netid.byname...
Updating shadow.byname...
make[1]: Leaving directory `/var/yp/ofs_wkstn''
make: Leaving directory `/var/yp''
Creating home directory `/home/happyuser''.
Copying files from `/etc/skel''
Enter new UNIX password:
Retype new UNIX password:
passwd: password updated successfully
Changing the user information for happyuser
Enter the new value, or press ENTER for the default
Full Name []:
Room Number []:
Work Phone []:
Home Phone []:
Other []:
Is the information correct? [y/N] y
--
Dane Miller
Technology Coordinator
Olney Friends School
Barnesville, Ohio