[Bug 488293] [NEW] package openssh-server 1:5.1p1-6ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[itismike]

Public bug reported:

this looks similar to several other bugs on Launchpad, but they seem to be from slightly different versions.
I'm running a standard install of Karmic and tried to install openssh server both through Synaptic and from the command line:
sudo apt-get install openssh-server openssh-client

Both efforts result in the following error:
Setting up openssh-server (1:5.1p1-6ubuntu2) ...
Creating SSH2 RSA key; this may take some time ...
Creating SSH2 DSA key; this may take some time ...
useradd: cannot lock /etc/passwd; try again later.
adduser: `/usr/sbin/useradd -d /var/run/sshd -g nogroup -s /usr/sbin/nologin -u 116 sshd' returned error code 1. Exiting.
dpkg: error processing openssh-server (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 openssh-server
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Tried renaming the .lock files but got the same result.

ProblemType: Package
AptOrdering:
 openssh-server: Install
 openssh-server: Configure
Architecture: amd64
Date: Wed Nov 25 11:19:28 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Package: openssh-server 1:5.1p1-6ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-15.50-generic
SourcePackage: openssh
Title: package openssh-server 1:5.1p1-6ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-15-generic x86_64

** Affects: openssh (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-package

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package openssh-server 1:5.1p1-6ubuntu2 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/488293
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