weird /etc/passwd corrupted

my friend's server had a problem... none of the usernames was logging in
he asked me to give a look after requesting an OS restore

I went to see the /etc/passwd and found this:


root@xxx [/mnt/hdc2/etc]# cat passwd
46; author root; state Exp;
branches;
next 1.2499;

1.2499
date 2005.08.29.02.18.00; author root; state Exp;
branches;
next 1.2498;

1.2498
date 2005.08.29.02.00.13; author root; state Exp;
branches;
next 1.2497;

1.2497
date 2005.08.29.01.28.09; author root; state Exp;
branches;
next 1.2496;

(many more)
any ideas on what may have caused this?!
seens very weird to me

 

 

 

 

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