🚀 go-pugleaf

This is a VM I got from:
http://www.vmwhere.net/downloads
based on 2006.0

once it booted I did
# emerge --sync

it was then recommended that I update portage
# emerge portage

Both of the above seemed sucessful and it was indicated that 5 config 
files needed updateing in /etc. but per the message given I did:

# find /etc -iname '._cfg????_*'

/etc/._cfg0000_etc-update.conf
/etc/._cfg0000_make.conf.example

was all I got.

I dont believe those are relavant to the problem but I thought I'd 
mention it in case I really am that stupid.

# emerge --update system
...
[blocks B]  ] sys-apps/pam-login (is blocking sys-apps/shadow-
4.0.18.1)
...

according to:
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?full=1#blocked
I can choose to not install sys-apps/shadow-4.0.18.1 (not sure how to 
do that using the above syntax for --update system) or I can unmerge 
sys-apps/pam-login.

Both of which seem like bad ideas.

Ideas on how to proceed?