How to copy a file from my home folder to /usr

Question

I'm trying to copy a file from my homedir to /usr. How do I setup the permissions to allow this?

$ chmod 777 KeePass-2.14.zip
$ cp KeePass-2.14.zip /usr/keepass/
cp: cannot create regular file `/usr/keepass/KeePass-2.14.zip': Permission denied
$ sudo cp KeePass-2.14.zip /usr/keepass/
cp: cannot stat `KeePass-2.14.zip': Permission denied
$

Can you paste the line in /etc/sudoers that allows your user to sudo? It should be something like phunehehe ALL=(ALL) ALL... — phunehehe, Apr 05 '11 at 15:49
Perhaps you could first tell us why you are trying to copy this file to /usr? Seems like an unusual thing to do. If you are trying to unpack for an install, that is the wrong place to put it in. Something like /usr/local/src would be better. At least, that is what I use. Is there no binary package available for keepass for your OS? — Faheem Mitha, Apr 05 '11 at 16:17
@Faheem - why /.../src? Why not /usr/local? I haven't memorized the folder structure yet, I just want somewhere to put it (looking for the equivalent of C:\Program Files). — ripper234, Apr 05 '11 at 20:15
/usr/local/src is customary, I believe. The FHS says "/usr/local/src: Local source code". See http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#USRLOCALLOCALHIERARCHY — Faheem Mitha, Apr 05 '11 at 20:27

score 19 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 05 '11 at 17:39

19

I'm guessing that sudo cp can't stat KeePass-2.14.zip because $HOME is on an NFS mount, and the NFS server doesn't grant your machine root permission to the NFS share.

Try:

cp KeePass-2.14.zip /tmp
sudo cp /tmp/KeePass-2.14.zip /usr/keepass/

answered Apr 05 '11 at 17:39

Ken Bloom

400

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 05 '11 at 16:19

To answer the original question, I would adjust the permissions after the event. Just copy the file across (doesn't really matter with what permissions) and then change the permissions to match the place where you are copying it to. But in this case, I doubt that what you are trying to do is what you really want to do.

score -1 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 05 '11 at 15:19

-1

Change permission on directory /usr/keepass to 777 and then cp the files to /usr/keepass/

answered Apr 05 '11 at 15:19

powerwade

1

2

How does 777 help when sudo cp ... doesn't work? – phunehehe Apr 05 '11 at 15:28
True. But he didn't provide information about permissions on /usr/keepass. Also he might has limited sudo rights. – powerwade Apr 05 '11 at 15:50
I have nothing against your answer (I didn't downvote, in case you are suspecting that). I just think that you can add a little bit more to it. – phunehehe Apr 05 '11 at 15:58
Yes, another mystery down-voter strikes again. (on several levels) ..... WHY!??? ..... ;-) – shellter Apr 05 '11 at 16:20
@powerwade: the error message that he gets when he uses sudo isn't what you'd see if you had limited sudo rights. – Ken Bloom Apr 05 '11 at 17:37
I've checked that later, you're right. I should check it before i advise next time. :) – powerwade Apr 06 '11 at 07:42
This actually helped me with my related problem of folders getting copied over with permissions and everything lol – Jean-Luc Nacif Coelho Apr 07 '15 at 09:14

How to copy a file from my home folder to /usr

3 Answers3