Comment 29 for bug 432964

The goal of the lock files is to protect users from doing something wrong when system files might be in an inconsistent state.

Removing the lock files at boot time would definitely avoid the issue pointed in this bug report, but would mean "there is probably something wrong with the system files, it's probably safer not to warn anybody. Let's start hiding the evidence that there might be something wrong."

Therefore,I would not recommend to touch these lock files, even after checking the files with pwck or grpck. Only human being can do so because only human being might remember what leaded to such possible inconsistency.

The possible solutions might be:
 * reduce the time between lock file creation and lock file removal in the shadow utils (I don't think this is possible)
 * avoid changing the passwd file too often (would it be possible to have static home directory for guest?)
 * indicate the failures and cause for failure. (note that a syslog checker would probably already notify the administrators in this case).