Bug#292441: Non-root startx cannot move log file
Package: xserver-common
Version: 4.3.0.dfsg.1-10
Severity: Important
Attempting to use startx from non-root account suffers fatal server error
'Cannot move old logfile "/var/log/XFree86.0.log.old"', even after
running dpkg-reconfigure xserver-common, and selecting 'Console Users Only'.
After ripping down my filesystem to reorganize my partitions, and installing from floppies and .deb files brought home from the library on ZIP disks (lack of Internet pipe at the time) a 100MB worth at a time, last September, I had this problem and worked around it by modifying a start-up script (I'm struggling to remember which one), and, ultimately, setting /usr/bin/X11/XFree86 (I think) setuid.
One ramification of this work-around was that ~/.xsession was being ignored, unlike when using previous version, but I succeeded in using .xinitrc for the same functionality.
This worked until upgrading this evening from -8 to -10. Now I'm back to the same place, thinking one ought not have to setuid by hand when debconf ought to take care of it (and not remembering quickly what that script I modified is - old age, I guess) .
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