I can't make files in directorys
 

Hello:

I am new to Linux, but am convinced that it is the way of the future. However, getting used to its rules and procedures are not as clear as Windows as of yet. But given time…..

This is my situation:

I am attempting to install a program, and the instructions say to create a file in a directory called USR. When I attempt to do this, a box appears and says in so many words that I don’t have the permissions to do that. I am logged in as the administrator (ROOT) but it will not comply. My operating system is Red Hat Linux 9.0:

1. Is there an indicator I may use to indicate if I am in administrator mode with all permissions?
2. Are there certain directories that will not permit any changes?
3. HELP!!!

The directory is more likely to be called /usr. It's important to remember that in Linux, unlike Windows, case is important. USR is different to usr and different again to Usr.

What exactly does INSTALL say? (And what program?) It's odd for a program to expect manual file creation (though not unheard of) as the install target for make usually takes care of all that. As far as why you'd be denied as regular user, obviously no permissions to write to the directory. As root, I can't think of anything offhand that would produce 'permission denied' but a 'file exists' but that's highly unlikely with 'USR' and would have produced a different error message. Or, as Komakino says, you're trying to create a file in a directory that doesn't exist. That would also give a different error message.

It's always important, where possible, to state exactly what you're doing and exactly what the error message is.