Applies to: NetMAX Free BSD Bld475
            NetMAX Linux 2.0.37 - 3.x

Some package installations execute programs which set up users and/or groups. Technically, they are executing the 'pw' program for updating the user/group databases. In a NetMAX installation, the files /etc/pwd.db and /etc/spwd.db are symbolic links to var/conf/etc/pwd.db and /var/conf/etc/spwd.db. Executing the 'pw' program removes these symbolic links, thus circumventing the NetMAX committers' ability to update users and groups.

The known packages which execute 'pw' are gnats-3.104b, ifmail-2.14 and ircd-hybrid-5.3

If you must install one of these packages, first determine what the package has added (gnats adds a 'gnats' user, ircd adds an 'ircd' group, for example). You should then telnet to the NetMAX and log in as the 'root' user. From the shell prompt, enter the following commands

     ln -sf /var/conf/etc/pwd.db /etc/pwd.db
     ln -sf /var/conf/etc/spwd.db /etc/spwd.db