update packages failed, root-privilege missing

[steve m]

Binary package hint: kdebase-workspace

Problem description: The update process fails due to missing root priviledges. I have tried to launch the update from "K-->System Settings-->Add Remove Software->Software Updates-->Select all updates-->Apply". The problem occured also if the update process is launched from the user update notifier. The update process should issue sudo and ask the user to provide their password.

Additional information:
computer@computer01:~$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu karmic (development branch)
Release: 9.10

The system where the problem occured was a fresh installation, no upgrade from previsous kubuntu version.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun Oct 4 09:27:01 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/systemsettings
Package: systemsettings 4:4.3.1-0ubuntu14
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-11.36-generic
SourcePackage: kdebase-workspace
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-11-generic x86_64