WARN: / is world writable!

[codeslinger]

after installing UbuntuStudio 14.04 Beta 1 (Feb 24) 64 bit from DVD

The root directory '/' is world writable

expected: this is a file permissions problem, should only be writable by the root user

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: ubiquity (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-12.32-lowlatency 3.13.4
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-12-lowlatency x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.13.3-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Mon Mar 10 07:43:40 2014
InstallCmdLine: file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntustudio.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash --
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-03-10 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Studio 14.04 "Trusty Tahr" - Alpha amd64 (20140224)
SourcePackage: ubiquity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Jörg Frings-Fürst (jff-de)]

Hi,

we need some more information. From a terminal window please run:

ls -l /

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

Jörg

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

You mean ls -ld /

[Jörg Frings-Fürst (jff-de)]

Hi Philip,

yes. Sorry for my mistake.

Jörg

[codeslinger (codeslinger)]

ah yes....

drwxrwxrwx 23 root root 4096 Mar 10 12:44 /

thanks!!!

[codeslinger (codeslinger)]

I just remembered one important difference in the install, I did not format the disk I used an existing empty partition.

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

I was unable to recreate this using a fresh install of Ubuntu on an unformatted disk.

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

I mean unpartitioned.

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

I then booted that same system using an Ubuntu 14.04 Live CD and mount the existing Ubuntu partition and did an 'rm -fr' in the root partition. Then I choose something else when installing Ubuntu and used the existing partition and swap partition. Again, I was unable to recreate this bug.

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

Could you please try recreating this and providing us with a detailed test case? Thanks in advance.

[codeslinger (codeslinger)]

okay, give me a few hours... and I will do another repro using vbox. But I have already reprod this 3 times using a real hard disk partition.

basically.... I have a multiboot system with about a dozen partitions... but I'm sure you don't need anywhere near that many to repro this.

to install the test os

first using a different os, open a shell and log in as root
do a cd to top level of the partition where you want to do the new install
do an rm -R * (don't make any mistakes!!!!)

reboot

do an install
select Something Else

manually select the partiton for the new os
Do NOT format... no need...

then do rest as usual...

result: this bug.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

And did you have the permissions on that volume set wrong before installing Ubuntu?

[Peter Nowell (prime26)]

I have had no luck with the 3 main installers with Ubuntu 12.04 and Ubuntu 13.04.
They remember nothing like time bookmarks etc.
I am submitting this a courtesy reply.
Peter

[Peter Nowell (prime26)]

Thank you Brian but for a novice this is perplexing with all the dos type wrings. I cannot get any of the three installers to install Ubuntu so it will remember times etc. This is a courtesy reply
Peter

[Peter Nowell (prime26)]

I am submitting a courtesy reply. For a novice all these dos type writings are perplexing. I cannot get Ubuntu to install with any of the 3 major installers and am quite proficient with Windows.
Peter

[codeslinger (codeslinger)]

@Peter,
for help with installing, please go and try the interactive chat at irc.freenode.net

see: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuStudio/IRC
also: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation

-------------------

@Phillip
sorry for the delay, I ran out of time, will try to get it done tonight.

quote: And did you have the permissions on that volume set wrong before installing Ubuntu?

define ~wrong~ ??
yes, I did take an existing partition that was being used for other things, it might have had rw set for the top level of that partition. But after I hand it over to the installer it should not make any difference what was previously on it or what the previous permissions were, the installer owns the partition and needs to "do the right thing".

But yes, I suspect the problem here is that when the installer skips formatting the partition it is also skipping setting the permissions on the partition. whether or not the installer changed the permissions itself or if they were pre-existing is an interesting question, but ultimatly should not affect the outcome.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

By wrong I mean world writable. If the permissions are set to world writable beforehand, and then you install Ubuntu without formatting the volume, and they remain world writable, then that's not really a bug. By choosing not to format the partition you are opting to retain as much about the current state of the partition as reasonably possible.

[codeslinger (codeslinger)]

I used virtualbox to confirm the following

1) installer formats the disk = permissions are set correctly

2) install to an existing disk = it does not change the permissions for that disk.

okay, so I guess it's not really a bug... but it is not the behavior that I would expect when doing an INSTALL