mailx problems

[Warren Turkal <wturkal@cbu.edu>]

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Ok, heres the story.  I have installed a standard Debian 2.2r2 install, all 
stable.  It problem is that when I run mail, I cannot delete messages.

****kernighan session begin****
wturkal@kernighan:~$ echo test | mail wturkal
wturkal@kernighan:~$ mail
Mail version 8.1 6/6/93.  Type ? for help.
"/var/spool/mail/wturkal": 1 message 1 new
>N  1 wturkal@kerninghan.c  Sat Mar 31 06:02  12/439
& d 1
& h
No applicable messages
& q
Unable to lock mailbox: Permission denied
wturkal@kernighan:~$ mail
Mail version 8.1 6/6/93.  Type ? for help.
"/var/spool/mail/wturkal": 1 message 1 new
>N  1 wturkal@kerninghan.c  Sat Mar 31 06:02  12/439
& q
Unable to lock mailbox: Permission denied
wturkal@kernighan:~$
****end kernighan session****

Now, if I su into root and check the mail, I am able to delete it no problem. 
I checked the permissions of the /var/mail with this box (braindead) and 
there seems to be no differences, yet I can delete my mail here.

****kernighan /var/mail permissions****
wturkal@kernighan:~$ ls -ld /var/mail
drwxrwsr-x    2 root     mail         4096 Mar 31 05:34 /var/mail
****end kernighan /var/mail permissions****

****braindead /var/mail permissions****
wturkal@braindead:~$ ls -ld /var/mail
drwxrwsr-x    2 root     mail         1024 Mar 31 11:23 /var/mail
****end braindead /var/mail permissions****

****kernighan session with root****
kernighan:/home/wturkal# echo $MAIL
/var/spool/mail/wturkal
kernighan:/home/wturkal# mail
Mail version 8.1 6/6/93.  Type ? for help.
"/var/spool/mail/wturkal": 1 message 1 new
>N  1 wturkal@kerninghan.c  Sat Mar 31 05:34  12/439
& d1
& h
No applicable messages
& q
kernighan:/home/wturkal#
****end kernighan session with root****

****braindead session****
wturkal@braindead:~$ echo test | mail wturkal@braindead.cbu.edu
wturkal@braindead:~$ mail
Mail version 8.1.2 01/15/2001.  Type ? for help.
"/var/mail/wturkal": 1 message 1 new
>N  1 wturkal@           Sat Mar 31 11:57   13/433
& d1
& h
No applicable messages
& q
wturkal@braindead:~$
****end braindead session****

The braindead session has not root and it deletes the message just fine.

If you need any other info, just ask.

- --Warren

- -- 
I don't have some cute little signature.  Deal with it.
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