Description of problem: ntp service will not start because the ntp user and group do not exist. from /var/log/messages Jan 12 11:11:32 spillage ntpd[30491]: Cannot find user `ntp' Jan 12 11:11:32 spillage systemd[1]: ntpd.service: main process exited, code=exited, status=255 Jan 12 11:11:32 spillage systemd[1]: Unit ntpd.service entered failed state. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): ntp-4.2.6p4-1.fc17.i686 How reproducible: yes. Steps to Reproduce: 1. install rawhide 2. systemctl start ntpd.service 3. Actual results: Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: ntpd 4.2.6p4 Thu Oct 6 15:35:00 UTC 2011 (1) Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage dhclient[982]: bound to 192.168.0.81 -- renewal in 820 seconds. Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: proto: precision = 7.543 usec Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: 0.0.0.0 c01d 0d kern kernel time sync enabled Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: Listen and drop on 0 v4wildcard 0.0.0.0 UDP 123 Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: Listen and drop on 1 v6wildcard :: UDP 123 Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: Listen normally on 2 lo 127.0.0.1 UDP 123 Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: Listen normally on 3 em1 192.168.0.81 UDP 123 Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: Listen normally on 4 em1 fe80::20b:5dff:fe54:ced4 UDP 123 Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: Listen normally on 5 lo ::1 UDP 123 Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: peers refreshed Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: Listening on routing socket on fd #22 for interface updates Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: 0.0.0.0 c016 06 restart Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: 0.0.0.0 c012 02 freq_set kernel 0.000 PPM Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: 0.0.0.0 c011 01 freq_not_set Jan 14 09:26:21 spillage ntpd[1074]: Cannot find user `ntp' Expected results: ntp starts as per usual Additional info: See also https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=771449 Because useradd cannot lock /etc/passwd, users cannot be created. Reinstalling exhibits the problem. [root@spillage network-scripts]# yum reinstall -y ntp Loaded plugins: langpacks, presto, refresh-packagekit Setting up Reinstall Process Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-1.fc17 will be reinstalled --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Reinstalling: ntp i686 4.2.6p4-1.fc17 rawhide 583 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Reinstall 1 Package Total download size: 583 k Installed size: 1.8 M Downloading Packages: http://mirror.pnl.gov/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/i386/os/Packages/ntp-4.2.6p4-1.fc17.i686.rpm: [Errno 14] curl#52 - "<Unknown>" Trying other mirror. Running Transaction Check Running Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Installing : ntp-4.2.6p4-1.fc17.i686 1/1 warning: group ntp does not exist - using root warning: user ntp does not exist - using root warning: group ntp does not exist - using root warning: user ntp does not exist - using root warning: group ntp does not exist - using root Verifying : ntp-4.2.6p4-1.fc17.i686 1/1 Installed: ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-1.fc17 Complete! Creating the ntp user manually is a workaround [root@spillage network-scripts]# groupadd -g 38 ntp [root@spillage network-scripts]# useradd -u 38 -g ntp -d /etc/ntp -s /sbin/nologin ntp useradd: cannot open /etc/passwd [root@spillage network-scripts]# vipw You have modified /etc/passwd. You may need to modify /etc/shadow for consistency. Please use the command 'vipw -s' to do so. [root@spillage network-scripts]# vipw -s You have modified /etc/shadow. You may need to modify /etc/passwd for consistency. Please use the command 'vipw' to do so. [root@spillage network-scripts]# grep ^ntp: /etc/passwd /etc/shadow /etc/group /etc/gshadow /etc/passwd:ntp:x:38:38::/etc/ntp:/sbin/nologin /etc/shadow:ntp:!!:15341:::::: /etc/group:ntp:x:38: /etc/gshadow:ntp:!:: [root@spillage network-scripts]# yum reinstall -y ntp Loaded plugins: langpacks, presto, refresh-packagekit Setting up Reinstall Process Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-1.fc17 will be reinstalled --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Reinstalling: ntp i686 4.2.6p4-1.fc17 rawhide 583 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Reinstall 1 Package Total download size: 583 k Installed size: 1.8 M Downloading Packages: Running Transaction Check Running Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Installing : ntp-4.2.6p4-1.fc17.i686 1/1 Verifying : ntp-4.2.6p4-1.fc17.i686 1/1 Installed: ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-1.fc17 Complete! It was unstartable, now with the ntp user it is startable [root@spillage network-scripts]# systemctl status ntpd.service ntpd.service - Network Time Service Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/ntpd.service; enabled) Active: failed since Sat, 14 Jan 2012 09:26:21 -0800; 25min ago Main PID: 1074 (code=exited, status=255) CGroup: name=systemd:/system/ntpd.service [root@spillage network-scripts]# systemctl restart ntpd.service [root@spillage network-scripts]# systemctl status ntpd.service ntpd.service - Network Time Service Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/ntpd.service; enabled) Active: active (running) since Sat, 14 Jan 2012 09:51:56 -0800; 2s ago Main PID: 1680 (ntpd) CGroup: name=systemd:/system/ntpd.service └ 1680 /usr/sbin/ntpd -n -u ntp:ntp -g
The ntp user is created in the ntpdate package. If useradd fails, there is not much we can do here. Reassigning to shadow-utils.
From https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=771449 The workaround developed (for rawhide) therein was: bash-4.2$ sudo /sbin/restorecon -v -v -R /etc/{passwd,passwd-,group,shadow,gshadow} /sbin/restorecon reset /etc/passwd- context system_u:object_r:etc_t:s0->system_u:object_r:passwd_file_t:s0 Yet the user ntp still wasn't created on 'yum reinstall -y ntp ntpdate' bash-4.2$ rpm -q --scripts ntpdatepreinstall scriptlet (using /bin/sh): /usr/sbin/groupadd -g 38 ntp 2> /dev/null || : /usr/sbin/useradd -u 38 -g 38 -s /sbin/nologin -M -r -d /etc/ntp ntp 2>/dev/null || : Perhaps ignoring errors and stderr away to /dev/null isn't a great idea. For completeness, here's the full log of what I did to get to Happy. (first installing only ntp, but then reinstalling ntp and ntpdate, then manually creating the user and group after doing the restorecon indicated in 771449) bash-4.2$ sudo yum reinstall -y ntp | sudo tee -a /tmp/o.yum_install.out Loaded plugins: langpacks, presto, refresh-packagekit Setting up Reinstall Process Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 will be reinstalled --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Reinstalling: ntp i686 4.2.6p4-2.fc17 rawhide 582 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Reinstall 1 Package Total download size: 582 k Installed size: 1.8 M Downloading Packages: Running Transaction Check Running Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Installing : ntp-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 1/1 warning: group ntp does not exist - using root warning: user ntp does not exist - using root warning: group ntp does not exist - using root warning: user ntp does not exist - using root warning: group ntp does not exist - using root Verifying : ntp-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 1/1 Installed: ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 Complete! bash-4.2$ finger ntp finger: ntp: no such user. (understood that this is the wrong package to query) bash-4.2$ rpm -q --scripts ntp postinstall scriptlet (using /bin/sh): /bin/systemctl daemon-reload &> /dev/null || : preuninstall scriptlet (using /bin/sh): if [ "$1" -eq 0 ]; then /bin/systemctl --no-reload disable ntpd.service &> /dev/null /bin/systemctl stop ntpd.service &> /dev/null fi : postuninstall scriptlet (using /bin/sh): /bin/systemctl daemon-reload &> /dev/null if [ "$1" -ge 1 ]; then /bin/systemctl try-restart ntpd.service &> /dev/null fi : bash-4.2$ rpm -q ntp ntp-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 bash-4.2$ sudo yum reinstall -y ntp ntpdate | sudo tee -a /tmp/o.yum_install.out Loaded plugins: langpacks, presto, refresh-packagekit Setting up Reinstall Process Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 will be reinstalled ---> Package ntpdate.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 will be reinstalled --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Reinstalling: ntp i686 4.2.6p4-2.fc17 rawhide 582 k ntpdate i686 4.2.6p4-2.fc17 rawhide 74 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Reinstall 2 Packages Total download size: 656 k Installed size: 1.9 M Downloading Packages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 465 kB/s | 656 kB 00:01 Running Transaction Check Running Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Installing : ntpdate-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 1/2 Installing : ntp-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 2/2 warning: group ntp does not exist - using root warning: user ntp does not exist - using root warning: group ntp does not exist - using root warning: user ntp does not exist - using root warning: group ntp does not exist - using root Verifying : ntp-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 1/2 Verifying : ntpdate-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 2/2 Installed: ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 ntpdate.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 Complete! bash-4.2$ finger ntp finger: ntp: no such user. bash-4.2$ rpm -q --scripts ntpdate preinstall scriptlet (using /bin/sh): /usr/sbin/groupadd -g 38 ntp 2> /dev/null || : /usr/sbin/useradd -u 38 -g 38 -s /sbin/nologin -M -r -d /etc/ntp ntp 2>/dev/null || : postinstall scriptlet (using /bin/sh): /bin/systemctl daemon-reload &> /dev/null || : preuninstall scriptlet (using /bin/sh): if [ "$1" -eq 0 ]; then /bin/systemctl --no-reload disable ntpdate.service &> /dev/null /bin/systemctl stop ntpdate.service &> /dev/null fi : bash-4.2$ sudo /sbin/restorecon -v -v -R /etc/{passwd,passwd-,group,shadow,gshadow} /sbin/restorecon reset /etc/passwd- context system_u:object_r:etc_t:s0->system_u:object_r:passwd_file_t:s0 bash-4.2$ sudo yum reinstall -y ntp ntpdate | sudo tee -a /tmp/o.yum_install.out Loaded plugins: langpacks, presto, refresh-packagekit Setting up Reinstall Process Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 will be reinstalled ---> Package ntpdate.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 will be reinstalled --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Reinstalling: ntp i686 4.2.6p4-2.fc17 rawhide 582 k ntpdate i686 4.2.6p4-2.fc17 rawhide 74 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Reinstall 2 Packages Total download size: 656 k Installed size: 1.9 M Downloading Packages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 643 kB/s | 656 kB 00:01 Running Transaction Check Running Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Installing : ntpdate-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 1/2 Installing : ntp-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 2/2 warning: group ntp does not exist - using root warning: user ntp does not exist - using root warning: group ntp does not exist - using root warning: user ntp does not exist - using root warning: group ntp does not exist - using root Verifying : ntp-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 1/2 Verifying : ntpdate-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 2/2 Installed: ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 ntpdate.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 Complete! bash-4.2$ rpm -q --scripts ntpdate preinstall scriptlet (using /bin/sh): /usr/sbin/groupadd -g 38 ntp 2> /dev/null || : /usr/sbin/useradd -u 38 -g 38 -s /sbin/nologin -M -r -d /etc/ntp ntp 2>/dev/null || : postinstall scriptlet (using /bin/sh): /bin/systemctl daemon-reload &> /dev/null || : preuninstall scriptlet (using /bin/sh): if [ "$1" -eq 0 ]; then /bin/systemctl --no-reload disable ntpdate.service &> /dev/null /bin/systemctl stop ntpdate.service &> /dev/null fi : bash-4.2$ sudo /usr/sbin/groupadd -g 38 ntp bash-4.2$ sudo /usr/sbin/useradd -u 38 -g 38 -s /sbin/nologin -M -r -d /etc/ntp ntp bash-4.2$ sudo yum reinstall -y ntp ntpdate | sudo tee -a /tmp/o.yum_install.out Loaded plugins: langpacks, presto, refresh-packagekit Setting up Reinstall Process Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 will be reinstalled ---> Package ntpdate.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 will be reinstalled --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Reinstalling: ntp i686 4.2.6p4-2.fc17 rawhide 582 k ntpdate i686 4.2.6p4-2.fc17 rawhide 74 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Reinstall 2 Packages Total download size: 656 k Installed size: 1.9 M Downloading Packages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 628 kB/s | 656 kB 00:01 Running Transaction Check Running Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Installing : ntpdate-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 1/2 Installing : ntp-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 2/2 Verifying : ntp-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 1/2 Verifying : ntpdate-4.2.6p4-2.fc17.i686 2/2 Installed: ntp.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 ntpdate.i686 0:4.2.6p4-2.fc17 Complete! bash-4.2$ systemctl status ntpd.service ntpd.service - Network Time Service Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/ntpd.service; enabled) Active: failed since Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:30:30 -0800; 1 weeks and 2 days ago Main PID: 8705 (code=exited, status=255) CGroup: name=systemd:/system/ntpd.service bash-4.2$ sudo systemctl enable ntpd.service bash-4.2$ sudo systemctl start ntpd.service bash-4.2$ systemctl status ntpd.service ntpd.service - Network Time Service Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/ntpd.service; enabled) Active: active (running) since Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:52:33 -0800; 3s ago Main PID: 8682 (ntpd) CGroup: name=systemd:/system/ntpd.service └ 8682 /usr/sbin/ntpd -n -u ntp:ntp -g Happy.
*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 771449 ***