Terminal login:PAM error: Critical error-immediate abort

Question

I have previously posted this question under Tiger Forum, but have since discovered this Unix forum.
I do not have any understanding of Unix, but as described below have been forced to use Terminal due to a Printer Setup Utility error.
This is a copy of my original question:
Printer Setup Utility recently wiped of my selected printer (HP 2710) & when I attempt to add it again gives the error "server-error-service-unavailable."
Under Terminal Help there is a solution for this problem
(also @ http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107054),
however when I open terminal the follow error appears, "login:PAM error: Critical error-immediate abort."
I have no idea what this means or how I could fix it (& then hopefully my printer setup utility).
Thanks for any suggestions

Answer 1

Hi Justin,
Where it's located (or should be) is in the directory 'pam.d' which is in the directory 'etc' on the boot drive '/'
Thus the path: /etc/pam.d/
The file is called 'login'
To see from the Finder:
Because the /etc directory is invisible in the Finder use 'Go to Folder…' from the 'Go' menu (commandshiftG) and type in the path to the directory, i.e. /etc/pam.d/
This will open the directory if it's there. The 'login' file will probably open in TextEdit for viewing.
To see from the Terminal:
Either cd (change directory) and list...
<pre>cd /etc/pam.d
ls</pre>
or just list without changing your working directory...
<pre>ls /etc/pam.d/</pre>
View the file in question with cat (concatenate and print)...
<pre>cat /etc/pam.d/login</pre>
or if you've changed your working directory, just...
<pre>cat login</pre>