I have just upgraded my arm32 NetBSD machine from 1.3.? to 1.4 release, by
hand-installing the files. The system is installed OK, and runs happily,
except that (a) running passwd on a user _always_ reports "passwd file
busy, try again later". Using vipw, and leaving the password field blank
always worked under 1.3, but now I can't login at all. The only way into
the system is to boot single user, and do everything as root.

The permissions on the passwd related files seem OK, so what is going on?? 

TIA,

Steve.