Re: Fresh install (ubuntu) permissions issues

[email protected] Sat, 30 May 2026 13:06:36 -0400
Newsgroups gmane.comp.sysutils.backup.backuppc.general
Message-ID <[email protected]>
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I've done a lot of digging into this, and while I have not solved it yet=
, I want to document in case anyone else runs into this problem and find=
s this through archives of this mailing list.

First off, this is an issue introduced with the recently released Ubuntu=
 26.04 LTS.  I fired up a spare machine that had 24.04 LTS running on it=
, and all I had to do was "sudo apt install apache2" and "sudo apt insta=
ll backuppc", start both with systemctl and was instantly up and running=
, with no problems modifying the configuration files.  If I don't get th=
is figured out I may just go and load 24.04 on my backuppc server box, b=
ut would prefer to be more up to date.

As of last weekend, I was thinking there had been a disk error since mou=
nting an external file system allowed things to work.  The revision to t=
he /usr/share/backuppc/lib/BackupPC/Storage/Text.pm file, which I did ba=
sed on this search find: Can not edit config.pl and open log file in web=
 Interface =C2=B7 Issue #188 =C2=B7 backuppc/backuppc <https://github.co=
m/backuppc/backuppc/issues/188> provided a more expansive error message =
indicating that the file system was read-only:

---
TextFileWrite: Failed to write /etc/backuppc/localhost.pl.new (errno =3D=
 Read-only file system, uids =3D 33,113, gids =3D 33 33,33 33, umask =3D=
 027, ver =3D v5.40.1, prog =3D /usr/bin/perl)
---

(note uid and gid 33 are both www-data and uid 113 is backuppc).

So I went down a rabbit hole of disk diagnostics.  Smartmontools indicat=
ed I *may* have a problem, even though the disk "passed" so I reformatte=
d the partition with mkfs flags that ran a destructive badblocks command=
 (writes to every block multiple times to cause any bad blocks to get re=
mapped).  Yes, excessive. Took days to run.  Reinstalled everything (no =
indications of any bad blocks this time around), and I got the exact sam=
e results. =20

---

username@backuppc:/mnt$ ls -la /etc/backuppc/
total 212
drwxrwxr-x   2 backuppc www-data  4096 May 29 09:24 .
drwxr-xr-x 142 root     root     12288 May 29 10:24 ..
-rw-r-----   1 backuppc backuppc     0 May 30 11:00 LOCK
-rw-r--r--   1 backuppc www-data   835 May 29 09:24 apache.conf
-rw-rw-r--   1 backuppc www-data 88554 Feb  2 15:19 config.pl
-rw-rw-r--   1 backuppc www-data 88392 Feb  2 15:19 config.pl.sample
-rw-rw-r--   1 backuppc www-data  2243 Feb  2 15:19 hosts
-rw-rw-r--   1 backuppc www-data  2243 Feb  2 15:19 hosts.sample
-rw-r-----   1 backuppc www-data    47 May 29 09:09 htpasswd
-rw-rw-r--   1 backuppc www-data   427 Feb  2 15:19 localhost.pl
lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root        13 May 28 22:46 pc -> /etc/backuppc
username@backuppc:/mnt$ ls -la /mnt/sdb2
total 220
drwxrwxr-x 3 backuppc www-data  4096 May 29 09:24 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 root     root      4096 May 30 11:13 ..
-rw-r----- 1 backuppc backuppc     0 May 30 11:00 LOCK
-rw-r--r-- 1 backuppc www-data   835 May 29 09:24 apache.conf
-rw-rw-r-- 1 backuppc www-data 88554 Feb  2 15:19 config.pl
-rw-rw-r-- 1 backuppc www-data 88392 Feb  2 15:19 config.pl.sample
-rw-rw-r-- 1 backuppc www-data  2243 Feb  2 15:19 hosts
-rw-rw-r-- 1 backuppc www-data  2243 Feb  2 15:19 hosts.sample
-rw-r----- 1 backuppc www-data    47 May 29 09:09 htpasswd
-rw-rw-r-- 1 backuppc www-data   427 Feb  2 15:19 localhost.pl
drwx------ 2 root     root     16384 May 30 11:12 lost+found
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root     root        13 May 28 22:46 pc -> /etc/backuppc
username@backuppc:/mnt$ sudo umount /mnt/sdb2
username@backuppc:/mnt$ sudo mount /dev/sdb2 /etc/backuppc
username@backuppc:/mnt$ ls -la /etc/backuppc/
total 228
drwxrwxr-x   3 backuppc www-data  4096 May 29 09:24 .
drwxr-xr-x 142 root     root     12288 May 29 10:24 ..
-rw-r-----   1 backuppc backuppc     0 May 30 11:00 LOCK
-rw-r--r--   1 backuppc www-data   835 May 29 09:24 apache.conf
-rw-rw-r--   1 backuppc www-data 88554 Feb  2 15:19 config.pl
-rw-rw-r--   1 backuppc www-data 88392 Feb  2 15:19 config.pl.sample
-rw-rw-r--   1 backuppc www-data  2243 Feb  2 15:19 hosts
-rw-rw-r--   1 backuppc www-data  2243 Feb  2 15:19 hosts.sample
-rw-r-----   1 backuppc www-data    47 May 29 09:09 htpasswd
-rw-rw-r--   1 backuppc www-data   427 Feb  2 15:19 localhost.pl
drwx------   2 root     root     16384 May 30 11:12 lost+found
lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root        13 May 28 22:46 pc -> /etc/backuppc
username@backuppc:/mnt$

---

Here I check the permissions of /etc/backuppc as it exists on the main f=
ile system (note, I had already added write permissions to group to seve=
ral of the files in this directory but that didn't solve anything.  As y=
ou can see, the permissions of the /etc/backuppc directory are drwxrwxr-=
x  backuppc www-data  (rw for both the user and group).  And the config =
files, other than apache.conf and htpasswd are also rw for both user (ba=
ckuppc) and group (www-data).

Then I mounted a file system to which I had previously copied over the c=
ontents of /etc/backuppc, using rsunc to preserve all attributes ("sudo =
rsync -av /etc/backuppc/ /mnt/sdb2").  I had temporarily mounted this at=
 /mnt/sdb2 to do the copying.  I unmounted it from there and then mounte=
d it on /etc/backuppc.  As you can see, it had the exact same contents a=
nd permissions (plus it had a lost+found directory).

Using the "native" /etc/backuppc, I got the "failed to write" error.  Af=
ter mounting the separate-disk /etc/backuppc I got no error message.

I have tried G.W.'s suggestion to change $Conf{UmaskMode} in BackupPC's =
config.pl to 007 from 027 but this made no difference.

Both G.W. and tomas's suggestion that this is apparmor causing problems,=
 but I dug into that and it doesn't look like there is any problems.  I =
searched the logs running "sudo journalctl | grep apparmor | grep backup=
pc" and got nothing other than "backuppc being the name of the computer.=
  I also looked through /etc/apparmor.d directory and there is nothing t=
here for apache2 nor backuppc.

So I am still stuck.  I must be the first person to try to install backu=
ppc on the new Ubuntu, or else everyone else is way smarter than me and =
figured this out on their own. Maybe I should file a bug report with Ubu=
ntu.

On Mon, May 25, 2026, at 11:36 AM, G.W. Haywood wrote:
> Hi there,
>=20
> On Sun, 24 May 2026, backuppc@sundquist... wrote:
>=20
> > ...
> > I reinstalled Apache2 and backuppc.
> > ...
>=20
> That was probably excessive.  Did you see my private mail?
>=20
> 8<--------------------------------------------------------------------=
--
>=20
> Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 08:59:25 +0100 (BST)
> From: G.W. Haywood <[email protected]>
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: Fresh install (ubuntu) permissions issues
>=20
> 8<--------------------------------------------------------------------=
--
>=20
> > One commenter ... had SELinux running and had to write a policy
> > ...  I don't have SELinux running.
>=20
> On Ubuntu I think it's more likely to be AppArmor than SELinux.
>=20
> > ... One respondent provided some code to add to .../Storage/Text.pm
> > to get more info on the error.  I did this and got ...
> > ---
> > TextFileWrite: Failed to write /etc/backuppc/localhost.pl.new \
> > (errno =3D Read-only file system, uids =3D 33,113, gids =3D 33 33,33=
 33,
> > umask =3D 027, ver =3D v5.40.1, prog =3D /usr/bin/perl)
> > ---
> > ...
> > ... the read-only file system message, .. didn't make sense ...
>=20
> Unless there really is a problem with the filesystem, which is quite
> possible but seems to me unlikely, I wonder if that might just be a
> misleading error message.  Can you point me to the code that you used
> to modify your Text.pm?
>=20
> > ... plugged in an external drive with a fresh ext4 partition.  Did a
> > temporary mount and copied over the contents of /etc/backuppc, then
> > remounted it at /etc/backuppc.
> >=20
> > And it worked!  So I must have some bad blocks where /etc/backuppc
> > was in the original installation.
>=20
> There could be an alternative explanation for the symptoms.  I'm
> wondering if the /etc/backuppc directory in your temporary mount
> doesn't have the same permissions as those in the original mount.
> That might explain why you could write to the temporary mount.  If
> that's the case then, the problem might be $Conf{UmaskMode} in your
> BackupPC's config.pl.  Take a look at that value (it's expressed as
> octal digits, they will be 027) and also at
>=20
> perldoc -f umask
>=20
> I think perhaps it's the *process* permissions which are too tight for
> your setup, not those of files/directories in the filesystem.
>=20
> You could try changing $Conf{UmaskMode} from 027 to 007 in config.pl.
>=20
> If there is any temporary '.new' file hanging around after a previous
> attempt then if it does not have group write permission you will want
> to delete it before trying again - I'm not sure that BackupPC will
> change the permissions of an existing file.
>=20
> --=20
>=20
> 73,
> Ged.
>=20
>=20
> _______________________________________________
> BackupPC-users mailing list
> [email protected]
> List:    https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/backuppc-users
> Wiki:    https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki
> Project: https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/
>=20

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<!DOCTYPE html><html><head><title></title></head><body><div style=3D"fon=
t-family:Verdana;">I've done a lot of digging into this, and while I hav=
e not solved it yet, I want to document in case anyone else runs into th=
is problem and finds this through archives of this mailing list.</div><d=
iv style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Ve=
rdana;">First off, this is an issue introduced with the recently release=
d Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.&nbsp; I fired up a spare machine that had 24.04 LTS =
running on it, and all I had to do was "sudo apt install apache2" and "s=
udo apt install backuppc", start both with systemctl and was instantly u=
p and running, with no problems modifying the configuration files.&nbsp;=
 If I don't get this figured out I may just go and load 24.04 on my back=
uppc server box, but would prefer to be more up to date.</div><div style=
=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">=
As of last weekend, I was thinking there had been a disk error since mou=
nting an external file system allowed things to work.&nbsp; The revision=
 to the&nbsp;/usr/share/backuppc/lib/BackupPC/Storage/Text.pm file, whic=
h I did based on this search find:&nbsp;<a href=3D"https://github.com/ba=
ckuppc/backuppc/issues/188">Can not edit config.pl and open log file in =
web Interface =C2=B7 Issue #188 =C2=B7 backuppc/backuppc</a>&nbsp;provid=
ed a more expansive error message indicating that the file system was re=
ad-only:</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D=
"font-family:Verdana;">---</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">Text=
FileWrite: Failed to write /etc/backuppc/localhost.pl.new (errno =3D Rea=
d-only file system, uids =3D 33,113, gids =3D 33 33,33 33, umask =3D 027=
, ver =3D v5.40.1, prog =3D /usr/bin/perl)</div><div style=3D"font-famil=
y:Verdana;">---</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div =
style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">(note uid and gid 33 are both www-data an=
d uid 113 is backuppc).</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></d=
iv><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">So I went down a rabbit hole of d=
isk diagnostics.&nbsp; Smartmontools indicated I *may* have a problem, e=
ven though the disk "passed" so I reformatted the partition with mkfs fl=
ags that ran a destructive badblocks command (writes to every block mult=
iple times to cause any bad blocks to get remapped).&nbsp; Yes, excessiv=
e. Took days to run.&nbsp; Reinstalled everything (no indications of any=
 bad blocks this time around), and I got the exact same results.&nbsp;&n=
bsp;</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"fo=
nt-family:Verdana;">---</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></d=
iv><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"fon=
t-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">username@backuppc:/mnt=
$ ls -la /etc/backuppc/</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">=
<span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sa=
ns-serif;">total 212</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><sp=
an class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-=
serif;">drwxrwxr-x&nbsp;&nbsp; 2 backuppc www-data&nbsp; 4096 May 29 09:=
24 .</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font=
" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">drwxr-xr=
-x 142 root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 12288 M=
ay 29 10:24 ..</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span cla=
ss=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;=
">-rw-r-----&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc backuppc&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0 M=
ay 30 11:00 LOCK</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span c=
lass=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-seri=
f;">-rw-r--r--&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-data&nbsp;&nbsp; 835 May 29 09=
:24 apache.conf</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span cl=
ass=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif=
;">-rw-rw-r--&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-data 88554 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 co=
nfig.pl</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"f=
ont" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-r=
w-r--&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-data 88392 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 config.pl.=
sample</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"fo=
nt" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-rw=
-r--&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-data&nbsp; 2243 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 hosts<=
/span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" sty=
le=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-rw-r--&nb=
sp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-data&nbsp; 2243 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 hosts.sample<=
/span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" sty=
le=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-r-----&nb=
sp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-data&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 47 May 29 09:09 htpasswd=
</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" st=
yle=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-rw-r--&n=
bsp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-data&nbsp;&nbsp; 427 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 localho=
st.pl</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"fon=
t" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">lrwxrwx=
rwx&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nb=
sp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 13 May 28 22:46 pc -&gt; /etc/backuppc</span></div=
><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-=
family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">username@backuppc:/mnt$ =
ls -la /mnt/sdb2</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span c=
lass=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-seri=
f;">total 220</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span clas=
s=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;"=
>drwxrwxr-x 3 backuppc www-data&nbsp; 4096 May 29 09:24 .</span></div><d=
iv style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-fam=
ily:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">drwxr-xr-x 3 root&nbsp;&nbs=
p;&nbsp;&nbsp; root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4096 May 30 11:13 ..</=
span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" styl=
e=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-r----- 1 b=
ackuppc backuppc&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0 May 30 11:00 LOCK</span></div=
><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-=
family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-r--r-- 1 backuppc ww=
w-data&nbsp;&nbsp; 835 May 29 09:24 apache.conf</span></div><div style=3D=
"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, =
consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-rw-r-- 1 backuppc www-data 88554 F=
eb&nbsp; 2 15:19 config.pl</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana=
;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace,=
 sans-serif;">-rw-rw-r-- 1 backuppc www-data 88392 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 con=
fig.pl.sample</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span clas=
s=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;"=
>-rw-rw-r-- 1 backuppc www-data&nbsp; 2243 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 hosts</span=
></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D=
"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-rw-r-- 1 backu=
ppc www-data&nbsp; 2243 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 hosts.sample</span></div><div =
style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family=
:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-r----- 1 backuppc www-data=
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 47 May 29 09:09 htpasswd</span></div><div style=3D"fo=
nt-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, con=
solas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-rw-r-- 1 backuppc www-data&nbsp;&nbsp=
; 427 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 localhost.pl</span></div><div style=3D"font-fami=
ly:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, =
monospace, sans-serif;">drwx------ 2 root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; root&n=
bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 16384 May 30 11:12 lost+found</span></div><div st=
yle=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:m=
enlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">lrwxrwxrwx 1 root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nb=
sp;&nbsp; root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 13 May 28 22:46=
 pc -&gt; /etc/backuppc</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">=
<span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sa=
ns-serif;">username@backuppc:/mnt$ sudo umount /mnt/sdb2</span></div><di=
v style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-fami=
ly:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">username@backuppc:/mnt$ sudo=
 mount /dev/sdb2 /etc/backuppc</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Ver=
dana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monosp=
ace, sans-serif;">username@backuppc:/mnt$ ls -la /etc/backuppc/</span></=
div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"fo=
nt-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">total 228</span></div=
><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-=
family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">drwxrwxr-x&nbsp;&nbsp; 3=
 backuppc www-data&nbsp; 4096 May 29 09:24 .</span></div><div style=3D"f=
ont-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, co=
nsolas, monospace, sans-serif;">drwxr-xr-x 142 root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nb=
sp; root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 12288 May 29 10:24 ..</span></div><div =
style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family=
:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-r-----&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 backu=
ppc backuppc&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0 May 30 11:00 LOCK</span></div><di=
v style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-fami=
ly:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-r--r--&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 bac=
kuppc www-data&nbsp;&nbsp; 835 May 29 09:24 apache.conf</span></div><div=
 style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-famil=
y:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-rw-r--&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 back=
uppc www-data 88554 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 config.pl</span></div><div style=3D=
"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, =
consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-rw-r--&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-=
data 88392 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 config.pl.sample</span></div><div style=3D"=
font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, c=
onsolas, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-rw-r--&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-d=
ata&nbsp; 2243 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 hosts</span></div><div style=3D"font-fa=
mily:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas=
, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-rw-r--&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-data&nbs=
p; 2243 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 hosts.sample</span></div><div style=3D"font-fa=
mily:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas=
, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-r-----&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-data&nbs=
p;&nbsp;&nbsp; 47 May 29 09:09 htpasswd</span></div><div style=3D"font-f=
amily:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, consola=
s, monospace, sans-serif;">-rw-rw-r--&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 backuppc www-data&nb=
sp;&nbsp; 427 Feb&nbsp; 2 15:19 localhost.pl</span></div><div style=3D"f=
ont-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-family:menlo, co=
nsolas, monospace, sans-serif;">drwx------&nbsp;&nbsp; 2 root&nbsp;&nbsp=
;&nbsp;&nbsp; root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 16384 May 30 11:12 lost+found=
</span></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" st=
yle=3D"font-family:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">lrwxrwxrwx&n=
bsp;&nbsp; 1 root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; root&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&n=
bsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 13 May 28 22:46 pc -&gt; /etc/backuppc</span></div><div=
 style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><span class=3D"font" style=3D"font-famil=
y:menlo, consolas, monospace, sans-serif;">username@backuppc:/mnt$</span=
></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-=
family:Verdana;">---</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div>=
<div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">Here I check the permissions of /etc=
/backuppc as it exists on the main file system (note, I had already adde=
d write permissions to group to several of the files in this directory b=
ut that didn't solve anything.&nbsp; As you can see, the permissions of =
the /etc/backuppc directory are&nbsp;drwxrwxr-x&nbsp; backuppc www-data&=
nbsp; (rw for both the user and group).&nbsp; And the config files, othe=
r than apache.conf and htpasswd are also rw for both user (backuppc) and=
 group (www-data).</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><d=
iv style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">Then I mounted a file system to which =
I had previously copied over the contents of /etc/backuppc, using rsunc =
to preserve all attributes ("sudo rsync -av /etc/backuppc/ /mnt/sdb2").&=
nbsp; I had temporarily mounted this at /mnt/sdb2 to do the copying.&nbs=
p; I unmounted it from there and then mounted it on /etc/backuppc.&nbsp;=
 As you can see, it had the exact same contents and permissions (plus it=
 had a lost+found directory).</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><=
br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">Using the "native" /etc/bac=
kuppc, I got the "failed to write" error.&nbsp; After mounting the separ=
ate-disk /etc/backuppc I got no error message.</div><div style=3D"font-f=
amily:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">I have tri=
ed G.W.'s suggestion to change&nbsp;$Conf{UmaskMode} in&nbsp;BackupPC's&=
nbsp;config.pl&nbsp;to 007 from 027 but this made no difference.</div><d=
iv style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Ve=
rdana;">Both G.W. and tomas's suggestion that this is apparmor causing p=
roblems, but I dug into that and it doesn't look like there is any probl=
ems.&nbsp; I searched the logs running "sudo journalctl | grep apparmor =
| grep backuppc" and got nothing other than "backuppc being the name of =
the computer.&nbsp; I also looked through /etc/apparmor.d directory and =
there is nothing there for apache2 nor backuppc.</div><div style=3D"font=
-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">So I am =
still stuck.&nbsp; I must be the first person to try to install backuppc=
 on the new Ubuntu, or else everyone else is way smarter than me and fig=
ured this out on their own. Maybe I should file a bug report with Ubuntu=
.</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div>On Mon, May 25=
, 2026, at 11:36 AM, G.W. Haywood wrote:</div><blockquote type=3D"cite" =
id=3D"qt" style=3D""><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">Hi there,</div>=
<div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:=
Verdana;">On Sun, 24 May 2026, backuppc@sundquist... wrote:</div><div st=
yle=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana=
;">&gt; ...</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; I reinstalled =
Apache2 and backuppc.</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; ...<=
/div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-fa=
mily:Verdana;">That was probably excessive.&nbsp; Did you see my private=
 mail?</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"=
font-family:Verdana;">8&lt;---------------------------------------------=
-------------------------</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br><=
/div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 08:59:25=
 +0100 (BST)</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">From: G.W. Haywood=
 &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]=
.uk</a>&gt;</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">To:&nbsp;<a href=3D=
"mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]=
</a></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">Subject: Re: Fresh install=
 (ubuntu) permissions issues</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><b=
r></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">8&lt;-----------------------=
-----------------------------------------------</div><div style=3D"font-=
family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; One =
commenter ... had SELinux running and had to write a policy</div><div st=
yle=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; ...&nbsp; I don't have SELinux running=
.</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-=
family:Verdana;">On Ubuntu I think it's more likely to be AppArmor than =
SELinux.</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D=
"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; ... One respondent provided some code to add=
 to .../Storage/Text.pm</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; to=
 get more info on the error.&nbsp; I did this and got ...</div><div styl=
e=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; ---</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verda=
na;">&gt; TextFileWrite: Failed to write /etc/backuppc/localhost.pl.new =
\</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; (errno =3D Read-only fil=
e system, uids =3D 33,113, gids =3D 33 33,33 33,</div><div style=3D"font=
-family:Verdana;">&gt; umask =3D 027, ver =3D v5.40.1, prog =3D /usr/bin=
/perl)</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; ---</div><div style=
=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; ...</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdan=
a;">&gt; ... the read-only file system message, .. didn't make sense ...=
</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-f=
amily:Verdana;">Unless there really is a problem with the filesystem, wh=
ich is quite</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">possible but seems=
 to me unlikely, I wonder if that might just be a</div><div style=3D"fon=
t-family:Verdana;">misleading error message.&nbsp; Can you point me to t=
he code that you used</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">to modify=
 your&nbsp;<a href=3D"http://Text.pm">Text.pm</a>?</div><div style=3D"fo=
nt-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; .=
.. plugged in an external drive with a fresh ext4 partition.&nbsp; Did a=
</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; temporary mount and copie=
d over the contents of /etc/backuppc, then</div><div style=3D"font-famil=
y:Verdana;">&gt; remounted it at /etc/backuppc.</div><div style=3D"font-=
family:Verdana;">&gt;&nbsp;</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt=
; And it worked!&nbsp; So I must have some bad blocks where /etc/backupp=
c</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">&gt; was in the original inst=
allation.</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D=
"font-family:Verdana;">There could be an alternative explanation for the=
 symptoms.&nbsp; I'm</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">wondering =
if the /etc/backuppc directory in your temporary mount</div><div style=3D=
"font-family:Verdana;">doesn't have the same permissions as those in the=
 original mount.</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">That might exp=
lain why you could write to the temporary mount.&nbsp; If</div><div styl=
e=3D"font-family:Verdana;">that's the case then, the problem might be $C=
onf{UmaskMode} in your</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">BackupPC=
's&nbsp;<a href=3D"http://config.pl">config.pl</a>.&nbsp; Take a look at=
 that value (it's expressed as</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">=
octal digits, they will be 027) and also at</div><div style=3D"font-fami=
ly:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">perldoc -f um=
ask</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"fon=
t-family:Verdana;">I think perhaps it's the *process* permissions which =
are too tight for</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">your setup, n=
ot those of files/directories in the filesystem.</div><div style=3D"font=
-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">You coul=
d try changing $Conf{UmaskMode} from 027 to 007 in&nbsp;<a href=3D"http:=
//config.pl">config.pl</a>.</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br=
></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">If there is any temporary '.n=
ew' file hanging around after a previous</div><div style=3D"font-family:=
Verdana;">attempt then if it does not have group write permission you wi=
ll want</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">to delete it before try=
ing again - I'm not sure that BackupPC will</div><div style=3D"font-fami=
ly:Verdana;">change the permissions of an existing file.</div><div style=
=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">=
--&nbsp;</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D=
"font-family:Verdana;">73,</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">Ged.=
</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-f=
amily:Verdana;"><br></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">__________=
_____________________________________</div><div style=3D"font-family:Ver=
dana;">BackupPC-users mailing list</div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdan=
a;"><a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">BackupPC-use=
[email protected]</a></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">Li=
st:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=3D"https://lists.sourceforge.net/list=
s/listinfo/backuppc-users">https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/=
backuppc-users</a></div><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;">Wiki:&nbsp;&=
nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=3D"https://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki">h=
ttps://github.com/backuppc/backuppc/wiki</a></div><div style=3D"font-fam=
ily:Verdana;">Project:&nbsp;<a href=3D"https://backuppc.github.io/backup=
pc/">https://backuppc.github.io/backuppc/</a></div><div style=3D"font-fa=
mily:Verdana;"><br></div></blockquote><div style=3D"font-family:Verdana;=
"><br></div></body></html>
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