Hi,
I'm running Fedora fc7 on a AMD64 (1 Gb mem, >100GB disk) and after upgrading from fc5 to fc7 encountered the following problem.
Logged in as user joep I cannot run programs that require root privileges when I run then from the desktop. For example;
Clicking on the icon for upgrading - which starts pup) I get the usual request for the password. I enter the root password, the window disappears and nothing happens.
When I look with ps the application is running ( ps -ef|grep pup. The same goes with other root applications needing root permission.
However, I can open a root terminal with "su -" and run the program (e.g. pup) from the command line in the root terminal session.

One little detail: due to a apparently corrupt DVD upgrading was aborted and I had manually install all the missing packets.
It is not a rights problem, i am thinking of a problem in the link to the X-layer where not screen 0 but a nonexistent screen is used for the output. However, I assume I would then get an error message somewhere.
Does anybody have an idea where I have to look for the problem?
All information is welcome.
Joep

This sounds like you are starting pup in foreground when using the terminal, but starting in background when starting by clicking on the icon.

Have you tried clicking on the icon, run ps -ef|grep pup to get the PID, then bring the process to foreground? Does it show on the desktop then?

Thanks for your reaction, bigrigdriver, but that's not the problem here.
Pup is a graphical application under gnome, running on the desktop showing a window where you can install and upgrade packages. It's doesn't give the output to the console but shows it's window on the desktop. Pup, however, is only an example: all programs that need root access do the same. I think it has something to do with the root-window: the application directs the information to the root-window (desktop) instead of the user window. But my knowledge of X is not sufficient to trace this problem.
Joep

What you need is access to the root window under gnome, this link may help:
http://www.stevesearle.com/tech/desktop.html

KDE has a settingunder desktop behaviour to allow programs to control the root window; but as youre running Fedora 7 your desktop will be gnome, so I hope the link will help.

Thanks for the tip.
However, I haven't expressed myself correctly. I didn't mean the root-window of the X-windows session for a certain user, but the window related to the user root, which apparently can't be shown on the X-windows session of the current user.
Sorry for the confusion.
I looked at the given URL and it is very clear and has helped me in the customization of my desktop.
Joep