Hi,

I got a linux box where when i try to save iptables


[1708][root@ssm:~]$service iptables save
Saving firewall rules to /etc/sysconfig/iptables: cp: cannot remove `/etc/sysconfig/iptables': Operation not permitted
[FAILED]


i get the error

Please help me in this issue....

Are you running this command as root?

What does "ls -l /etc/sysconfig/iptables" output?

What does "ls -ld /etc/sysconfig" output?

What does "ls -ld /etc" output?

What does "lsof /etc/sysconfig/iptables" output?

Typically what I do is:
cd /etc/sysconfig
cp -p iptables iptables.YYYYMMDD - This saves the current file to a date stamped copy.
iptables-save >iptables-save.YYMMDD - This saves the rules currently in memory to a date stamped copy.
I then make any changes to iptables desired then run:
iptables-save >iptables

I've never had an issue overwriting /etc/sysconfig/iptables so I'm not sure why you do unless you're not running as root or unless there is something odd about permissions or use on your system which is why I ask for the above output.

What does "ls -l /etc/sysconfig/iptables" output?-rw------- 1 root root 3897 Apr 26 14:42 /etc/sysconfig/iptables

What does "ls -ld /etc/sysconfig" output?drwxr-xr-x 10 root root 4096 May 9 16:51 /etc/sysconfig

What does "ls -ld /etc" output?drwxr-xr-x 102 root root 12288 May 7 11:45 /etc

What does "lsof /etc/sysconfig/iptables" output?nothing

pls help me

I don't see anything there that would prevent root from writing to iptables but you didn't answer the question I asked first: Are you logged in as root?

Type "who am i" and show output.

Type "whoami" and show output.

Also do NOT put "pls help" in your forum posts - if you're posting here it is understood as a request for assistance and adding the request for help annoys many people especially if you repeat it. Putting it at the end of your last post seems to imply my prior post was not an attempt to "help".

seeing as there is a $
I would say that the OP is not

Assuming the '$' is part of the prompt and not typed in, it may mean the OP used
Also, could be SELinux; show

yes i logged in as root....

Type "who am i" and show output srini pts/3 2012-05-10 09:38 (192.168.45.7)

Type "whoami" and show output. root

i used su -

SElinux disabled

ls -lZ /etc/sysconfig/iptables -rw------- root root /etc/sysconfig/iptables

ls -lZd /etc/sysconfig drwxr-xr-x root root system_ubject_r:etc_t:s0 /etc/sysconfig

ls -lZd /etc drwxr-xr-x root root system_ubject_r:etc_t:s0 /etc