Permissions problems. (RESOLVED)

[Howard]

I see others having permissions problems, but they don't seem exactly the same as mine.

I am trying to set up two computers with LXDE PCLOS2010, but keep hitting permissions problems, when transferring files.  (Eventually I hope to get samba working, but at present I am doing it with usb drives.)

I have just discovered that when I save the same file from Openoffice to three different locations each has different user:group and permissions.  If I save it to a folder in my home directory it is howard:howard, if I copy it from there to a USB drive it is howard:root and if I save it to a common (i.e. one accessible to various installations) data partition, also via a symbolic link it is root:root.  The ugo permissions are different too in each case - but I won't list them.  

I cannot save directly to the usb drive over a symbolic link as "I do not have the authority" to do so!

I've tried changing  owner and group, both using chown -RL, and using the graphic interface with MANPC and Konqueror (KDE3.5), but nothing happens.

I'm not sure whether this is an LXDE problem or a PCLOS 2010 one.  I have not experienced similar problems using earlier versions of PCLOS.

[Howard]

I'm posting this from PCLOS 2007 KDE 3.5.9 - the oldest and most reliable version I've got .

I have no problems changing the permissions or the group on the same file here from Konqueror - as user not root.  (Cannot do this with PCLOS 2010 LXDE).

[Neal ManBear]

Open the folder or folders as root (use file manager superuser mode - available in lxdecc). Right click any file or files you need to change and choose Properties. Click on the Permissions tab and change the owner.

[Howard]

Open the folder or folders as root (use file manager superuser mode - available in lxdecc). Right click any file or files you need to change and choose Properties. Click on the Permissions tab and change the owner.

That's exactly what I was doing Neal.  It doesn't work on the Dell, but does on my old iBuddie laptop.

I've been exploring this further.  All three installations on the iBuddie are OK (LXDE, 2009.2 updated with KDE4 and 2007), I can change users, permissions etc either from the file manager or from the command line.  I don't even have to be root if the user is me.

None of the three installations on the Dell (LXDE, Minime 2010, 2009.2 KDE3.5) will allow any changes any way.

So it's not an LXDE problem.  My thought here is that the common element is that the iBuddie has a CD reader and they were installed from a live CD; while the Dell doesn't have any disk reader and they had to be installed from a home made live USB.  Could it be something to do with the software that makes the live USBs?  (I don't have a standalone USB CD/DVD drive.)  I don't fancy re-installing everything either.  So can it be fixed somehow?

[Neal ManBear]

Yes, it could be related to the usb install. Hmm...... check the permissions on the folders. See if you can change them, if they are not correct.

[Howard]

No, I cannot change anything. 

Now that I know the extent of the problem I realise that this is the wrong forum, I'll re-post in a more appropriate place.

[Howard]

I finally twigged what my problem was with a bit of memory jogging from Old-Polack.  As the Dell has XP on it too I formatted my main data file NTFS so that I could access the files from Windows (can't imagine why I'd want to do that though.)  Although there appear to be permissions with the files and folders they aren't real, they are just to tell you anyone can do anything with them!