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:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~$ ls -ld /etc/skel
drwxr-x--- 25 root adm 4096 2005-04-14 08:34 /etc/skel
[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~$ 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.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~$ sudo chown root:root /etc/skel
[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~$ ls -ld /etc/skel
drwxr-x--- 25 root root 4096 2005-04-14 08:34 /etc/skel
[EMAIL PROTECTED]:~$ 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
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