pwunconv creates passwd from passwd and shadow and then removes shadow.
grpconv creates gshadow from group and an optionally existing gshadow.
grpunconv creates group from group and gshadow and then removes gshadow.
These four programs all operate on the normal and shadow password and group files: /etc/passwd, /etc/group, /etc/shadow, and /etc/gshadow.
Each program acquires the necessary locks before conversion. fBpwconv and grpconv are similar. First, entries in the shadowed file which don't exist in the main file are removed. Then, shadowed entries which don't have `x' as the password in the main file are updated. Any missing shadowed entries are added. Finally, passwords in the main file are replaced with `x'. These programs can be used for initial conversion as well to update the shadowed file if the main file is edited by hand.
pwconv will use the values of fBPASS_MIN_DAYS, PASS_MAX_DAYS, and PASS_WARN_AGE from fI/etc/login.defs when adding new entries to /etc/shadow.
Likewise pwunconv and grpunconv are similiar. Passwords in the main file are updated from the shadowed file. Entries which exist in the main file but not in the shadowed file are left alone. Finally, the shadowed file is removed. Some password aging information is lost by fBpwunconv. It will convert what it can.