Bug 146295

Summary:	k3b ruins raw cd because of insufficient privileges
Product:	[Applications] k3b	Reporter:	Elmar Stellnberger (AT/K) <estellnb>
Component:	general	Assignee:	Sebastian Trueg <trueg>
Status:	RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Severity:	normal
Priority:	NOR
Version:	unspecified
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	unspecified
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments:	log file of malburnt raw CD

Description Elmar Stellnberger (AT/K) 2007-06-02 17:39:42 UTC

Version:           0.12.17 (using KDE 3.5.1 Level "a" , SUSE 10.1)
Compiler:          Target: i586-suse-linux
OS:                Linux (i686) release 2.6.16.27-0.9-default

Although CDRecord is configured to be run as root by K3bSetup K3b seems to run this program with insufficient privileges thus having ruining a raw CD (see attached log).
K3b must not run crucial programs without root privileges. At least it should file a warning if it has to do so.

see also: Bug 95046

Comment 1 Elmar Stellnberger (AT/K) 2007-06-02 17:41:10 UTC

Created attachment 20763 [details]
log file of malburnt raw CD

Comment 2 Sebastian Trueg 2007-06-02 19:51:49 UTC

This has nothing to do with K3b. K3b does not run cdrecord "without sufficient privs". And K3b has a warning about cdrecord privs. The failed burn proably happend due to bad media, bad hardware, or whatever. It is not a sotware problem.
BTW: The CD is not burnt RAW at all. You may, however, try RAW mode, maybe that will solve the problem for you (there is not way to determine which mode works with a certain drive by software. Good hardware does burn with all modes ;)

Comment 3 Elmar Stellnberger (AT/K) 2007-06-11 18:00:07 UTC

  The used blank CDs were OK. Trying the same with another blank CD has had exactly the same result.
  That time it was not me who has burned the CD. Perhaps there has been a warning about the privileges. Nevertheless k3b should better not come up with a warning which is clicked away unread by most users but prompt for the root password. If there is really no way for a user to succeed in running cdrecord as root he should have to enable a well hidden checkbox in the settings menu to run cdrecord with user level privileges.
  Trying exactly the same procedure with a suid root cdrecord has resulted in a successfully burnt CD.

Comment 4 Sebastian Trueg 2007-06-18 15:25:03 UTC

Again: no K3b bug. Setting up privileges is not a k3b task but a system setup one which should be handled by the distribution tools. K3b can only warn about certain situations that might cause problems. Often cdrecord does not have to run suid root but will work perfectly with user privs.
K3b properly warns about an inconsistency and suggests a solution. If you ignore this warning, well...
And as for the hidden checkbox: what would that do? K3b cannot change the system permissions. that is the whole point of not having root permissions!