cvs [server aborted]: can't chdir(/root): Permission denied Error

[Richard Otruba]

We have been using CVS for several months to manage our application source
files.  Recently, all actions that would cause an update to the CVS
repository (i.e. commit, tag, etc.) gives the "can't chdir..." error
specified in the subject line.  The original implementer of CVS is no longer
with the company and I am therefore stumbling through resolution of this
issue.  The definition of the error is obvious, as no users on the server
will have access to the /root directory.  The CVS repository starts in a
directory off the path /usr/local/... which all CVS users do have access to.
Can anyone give me any indication why CVS is trying to change to the /root
directory, and why this would manifest now after months of regular usage?
Only myself and one other person has access to the Linux server, and we
seldom access the box as CVS is really the only application running on it.
I could just grant privileges for the /root directory to the development
group, but that is obviously a poor solution without knowing the cause of
the problem.  I would really prefer to know why is the app now trying to
access /root?, what may have been changed?, etc.  The complete error is
below from my attempt at creating a tag for the module "ohio".

Thanks.

Richard.


cvs rtag Build79 ohio 
cvs [server aborted]: can't chdir(/root): Permission denied

*****CVS exited normally with code 1*****