Trouble modifying the password file

[Obrien, John E]

Hi,
I'm trying to run Samba off of a VMS system running 
OpenVMS 7.1. Whenever I try to map the drive to the
samba system with the NET USE command in DOS,
I get prompted for a password. Whatever password
I use, it is rejected and I cannot map to the drive. 
I know I need an entry in the samba password file,
but whenever I try to make an entry in the Samba
password file on the VMS box, I get the following
error messages:

$ spass -a system password99
startsmbfilepwent: unable to open file /samba_root/private/smbpasswd.dat
unable to open smb password database.
startsmbfilepwent: unable to open file /samba_root/private/smbpasswd.dat
add_smbfilepwd_entry: unable to open file.
Failed to add entry for user system.
Failed to change password entry for system

I'm logged in as SYSTEM. I have tried removing the
existing smbpasswd.dat file and having the spasswd.exe
create it for me, but I get the same error messages.
If I cannot fix the smbpasswd.dat file, is there a way to
turn off password authentication. I tried the QUEST OK = YES
setting in smb.conf, but it made no difference.
Thanks
John