Hi Jeanie,
as Simon explained before it is a problem of the web server. It creates a
lock so any other process with write access to the passwd file will be
blocked.
I don't know if it is fixed in 5.1.1 but for 5.1 exists an e-fix IX83228
for it. Call support to get it.

Oliver Bayerlein

Date:    Tue, 1 Jun 1999 14:18:21 +0800
From:    Jeanie Cham <yccham AT NCS.COM DOT SG>
Subject: Password problem

Hi all,

I installed Netview 5.1 (Framework 3.6) on AIX 4.3.2.  Netview is
running OK.  However, I've a strange problem with the AIX passwd
function after running Netview.

I'm able to change the OS password without any hassle, but once I start
Netview, I get "error connecting to passwd database".  Even if I exit
out of Netview, the problem remains, unless I restart the AIX CDE.  The
problem repeats after I start Netview.

I tried changing passwords using smitty, but to no avail.  Anybody
encountered such problem?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

regards,
Jeanie