I have never been able to change any of the file permissions on this system. I know this is a security issue. So that is why I am asking the question in this forum. I have followed what few instructions I have been given, but nothing works. Here is how I did the last attempt:
[root@localhost root]# /etc/sane.d/epkowa.conf -rw-rw-rw
The response was access denied. If I can not gain access to the file permissions, I can not make any changes that need to be done. I hope to get the necessary help or I am through with Linux. It appears to be more trouble that it is worth! At this point, I already have a worthless $50 book 'Red Hat Linux 9 UNLEASHED', and I do not have the money for another expensive book or the room for any either. Will some one please help me get this file permission issue resolved.

See if this helps > http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ticle&artid=20

'chmod 666 FILENAME' ('man chmod' or 'info chmod' for explanation of the chmod command).

I can change the permissions of a file in appearance but not in function when I use:

$ chmod 666 /home/charlie/Documents/Linux\ Terminal\ Switches
$ ls -l /home/charlie/Documents/Linux\ Terminal\ Switches
-rw-rw-rw- 1 charlie charlie 2631 Oct 16 12:34 /home/charlieDocuments/Linux Terminal Switches

I still can not write in the file after changing the permissions. The problem exists with text files (Text Editor, .conf files). I can create a text file using Text Editor, but after closing and reopening, it can not be altered. I have no problem with any Open Office file I create.

This is one of the files I need to change but can not do so:
$ chmod 666 /proc/self/root/etc/sane.d/epkowa.conf
chmod: changing permissions of `/proc/self/root/etc/sane.d/epkowa.conf': Operation not permitted


Does any one have any idea of what is going wrong?

Dude, in your line above
your not trying to edit it, your trying to run it as an executable! You have to open it in a text editor. For instance,

pico /etc/sane.d/epkowa.conf

For other files that you create in your home directory, what is the output of umask and explain the exact steps you are performing to open, edit and save files.

I got read and write permission using:
su
password
chmod 666 /path/epkowa.conf

I also finally got write permission to /etc/yum.conf by doing the same thing.

However, I am still working on the Epson Perfection 3170 Photo scanner not being detected. Now that I can change permission, I hope to be able to get the scanner to be detected by Gimp and Iscan., one-of-these-days.

It's not good security practice to give users write permissions over system config files. You should su and then do any changing you need to do to a file.

This is a single user home machine. So far, it has been used for learning purposes only. My only concern about permissions is in the areas of e-mail virus activity and browser security holes.

That is the least of your worries. If you go about giving everyone permissions to files that only root should have permission, you give every hacker an open invitation you exploit your system. You su to root to chmod the file. What you should be doing is su to root long enough to work on the file.

If you are worried about viruses. On Linux they are not a big problem because when a user opens a virus email it can't get access to system files. Your chmod'ing is giving user permissions to system files. So you are actually opening up the security holes for viruses and browser exploits.