I've got problem with adduser - was How to limit it ?

[Grzegorz Pawel Szostak <grzecho@ikar.mps.com.pl>]

Hi, i've set up passwd: db in /etc/nsswitch.conf then make -C
/var/lib/misc but adduser cannot add user:
bash-2.02$ sudo adduser first 
Adding user first...
Adding new group first (1001).
Adding new user first (1001) with group first.
Creating home directory /home/first.
Copying files from /etc/skel
passwd: Unknown user first
adduser: `passwd first' returned error code 256.  Aborting.
Cleaning up.
Removing directory `/home/first'
Removing user `first'.
userdel: user first does not exist
Removing group `first'.

whats wrong ?
G.