Re: user unable to access "crontab -e"

On Wed, Jul 01, 2026 at 11:26:22 -0600, D. R. Evans wrote:
> Following an update from bookworm to trixie on one system, my regular user
> account is no longer able to edit its crontab file on that system.
> 
> When I execute "crontab -e", I receive the message: "No modification made"
> and an editor opens on a blank file.
> 
> The user's crontab file does exist:
> 
> sudo ls -al /var/spool/cron/crontabs shows:
>   -rw------- 1 n7dr crontab 2981 Sep  2  2023 n7dr
> 
> and, indeed, that file seems to be being processed correctly by cron. But I
> just can't read and edit it with "crontab -e" :-(
> 
> I have no idea why this system is different: the problem doesn't occur on
> two other systems that have been upgraded.

Check the permissions on /usr/bin/crontab.  It should be setgid crontab.

hobbit:~$ ls -l /usr/bin/crontab
-rwxr-sr-x 1 root crontab 51936 Jun 13  2025 /usr/bin/crontab*

If that's not it, then look for /etc/cron.{allow,deny} files.