Permissions on the password database may be too restrictive

[tweetiepooh]

I'm getting this on OpenSuse 11.1 but only on NIS accounts.

This was all working fine, went for a coffee came back and couldn't unlock screensaver.

I can ssh in on these accounts using keys, I can su - from root and login with local accounts is fine.

Ideas most welcome. I can see that a number of PAM files have been updated.

[Knurpht]

What happens after a reboot (server)? I've seen the problem, fixed it, but cannot remember how. If a NIS server reboot doesn't work, we could compare the NIS settings on your network to mine, which are working.
Since PAM is updated, just a restart of the NIS services might not do, therefore the suggested reboot. Get back here if it doesn't work.

[tweetiepooh]

I can't reboot the NIS server, it's used for too many boxes and has been up 10 years or so (Solaris).

I have restarted the OpenSuse client but no joy.

I can login with local accounts including root and from root I can su to NIS accounts. This suggests that the authentication is being broken.

[tweetiepooh]

I sorted it.

In nsswitch.conf there was added

shadow: compat

Remove this and both NIS and local accounts now login fine. Phew!

I guess this is because NIS puts the password into passwd not shadow.

Thanks for all the suggestions and help.

[Knurpht]

Good you got it solved. On the NIS server
rcyppasswd restart && rcypserv restart
would have restarted the NIS server.

My next suggestion would have been to take a look whether NIS was using passwd or shadow, but you got it solved already.