pwd_mkdb: /etc/master.passwd: Inappropriate file type or format

[Antonio Olivares]

Dear folks,

Two of three machines updated to xfce4.10 successfully.  Now only one
refuses to work.  I encounter the error above.

I have tried numerous approaches already, but none have seemed to work.

Error message is as follows:
================================================
Creating user `messagebus' with uid `556'
pwd_mkdb:  olivares
gid is incorrect
pwd_mkdb:  at line #25
pwd_mkdb:  /etc/master.passwd:  Inappropriate file type or format
pw:  passwd file update:  No such file or directory
*** Error code 74

Stop in /usr/ports/devel/dbus.

===>>> Installation of dbus-1.4.12_2 (devel/dbus) failed
===>>> Aborting update
================================================

I have looked into

http://forums.freebsd.org/archive/index.php/t-22791.html

http://freebsd.1045724.n5.nabble.com/How-can-I-rescue-my-passwd-file-after-corrupting-it-and-why-does-it-still-work-td3778319.html

I have copied the file master.passwd.bak from /var/backups/ into /etc/
and it still does not work.  I cannot get around this error.

I cleaned up the stuff that I did not remove, now I have no working desktop.

Is there a way to fix it via livecd/livedvd, or can I copy it from
another machine and resync it?

Or do I just flat install FreeBSD again and be done with it?

Advice/Comments/Suggestions are appreciated and hopefully I can get
back this machine one way or another.

Best Regards,


Antonio