# Beginner, can't complete this step **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [January 14, 2019, 10:44pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/beginner-cant-complete-this-step/29438 "2019-01-14T22:44:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mboncalo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@mboncalo](https://forum.ansible.com/u/mboncalo)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 10:44pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/beginner-cant-complete-this-step/29438/1 "2019-01-14T22:44:24Z")
Hi Sorry , this must be to easy for you but I can't figure it out. I was following some ansible video tutorials and I can't go further because of some errors ansible all -m user -a name=linda ansible3 | FAILED! =\> {     "changed": false,     "msg": "useradd: Permission denied.\nuseradd: cannot lock /etc/passwd; try again later.\n",     "name": "linda",     "rc": 1 } ansible4 | FAILED! =\> {     "changed": false,     "msg": "useradd: Permission denied.\nuseradd: cannot lock /etc/passwd; try again later.\n",     "name": "linda",     "rc": 1 } ansible2 | FAILED! =\> {     "changed": false,     "cmd": "/sbin/useradd -m linda",     "msg": "[Errno 13] Permission denied",     "rc": 13 } ansible1 | FAILED! =\> {     "changed": false,     "cmd": "/sbin/useradd -m linda",     "msg": "[Errno 13] Permission denied",     "rc": 13 I'm trying to add an user on 4 machines. -created project directory -created ansible.cfg file with this content: [defaults] remote\_user = ansible host\_key\_checking = false inventory = inventory [priviledge\_escalation] become = True become\_method = sudo become\_user = root become\_ask\_pass = False -created inventory file: [all] ansible1 ansible2 ansible3 ansible4 -user ansible was created on all machines and has sudo access -ssh-copy-id was used for all machines -all machines are in /etc hosts with the name from inventory file > From what I see, ansible is trying to add the user without becoming root Adding user or becoming root works without any issue Thank you, Mihai. ---
**Author:** ![cassell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@cassell](https://forum.ansible.com/u/cassell)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 10:50pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/beginner-cant-complete-this-step/29438/2 "2019-01-14T22:50:54Z")
> Hi > Sorry , this must be to easy for you but I can't figure it out. I was > following some ansible video tutorials and I can't go further because > of some errors > > ansible all -m user -a name=linda > ansible3 | FAILED! =\> { >     "changed": false, >     "msg": "useradd: Permission denied.\nuseradd: cannot lock > /etc/passwd; try again later.\n", >     "name": "linda", >     "rc": 1 > } > ansible4 | FAILED! =\> { >     "changed": false, >     "msg": "useradd: Permission denied.\nuseradd: cannot lock > /etc/passwd; try again later.\n", >     "name": "linda", >     "rc": 1 > } > ansible2 | FAILED! =\> { >     "changed": false, >     "cmd": "/sbin/useradd -m linda", >     "msg": "[Errno 13] Permission denied", >     "rc": 13 > } > ansible1 | FAILED! =\> { >     "changed": false, >     "cmd": "/sbin/useradd -m linda", >     "msg": "[Errno 13] Permission denied", >     "rc": 13 > > I'm trying to add an user on 4 machines. > -created project directory > -created ansible.cfg file with this content: > [defaults] > remote\_user = ansible > host\_key\_checking = false > inventory = inventory > > [priviledge\_escalation] Try priviledge\_escalation -\> privilege\_escalation V/r, James Cassell ---
**Author:** ![mboncalo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@mboncalo](https://forum.ansible.com/u/mboncalo)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/beginner-cant-complete-this-step/29438/3 "2019-01-14T22:54:12Z")
Work like a charm! Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a9adbd/32.png) [@Will\_Brown](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Will_Brown)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2020, 11:10pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/beginner-cant-complete-this-step/29438/4 "2020-06-27T23:10:30Z")
Yes! Worked like a charm for me also! I hoped I was close in my configurations following along with using Hands-on Ansible with Sander van Vugt when I got stuck. Unstuck now! Thank you!