Using pbuilder to create a pristine ubuntu/hardy instance. tanner at ubuntu-8:pbuilder$ sudo pbuilder login --configfile hardy <snip> root at ubuntu-8:/# Install netrek-server-vanilla root at ubuntu-8:/# apt-get install netrek-server-vanilla Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following extra packages will be installed: libgmp3c2 The following NEW packages will be installed: libgmp3c2 netrek-server-vanilla 0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 0B/1353kB of archives. After this operation, 3396kB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y WARNING: The following packages cannot be authenticated! netrek-server-vanilla Install these packages without verification [y/N]? y Preconfiguring packages ... debconf (developer): starting /tmp/netrek-server-vanilla.config.233391 configure Selecting previously deselected package libgmp3c2. (Reading database ... 13344 files and directories currently installed.) Unpacking libgmp3c2 (from .../libgmp3c2_2%3a4.2.2+dfsg-1ubuntu2_i386.deb) ... Selecting previously deselected package netrek-server-vanilla. Unpacking netrek-server-vanilla (from .../netrek-server-vanilla_2.13.0ubuntu0.4_i386.deb) ... Setting up libgmp3c2 (2:4.2.2+dfsg-1ubuntu2) ... Setting up netrek-server-vanilla (2.13.0ubuntu0.4) ... Processing triggers for libc6 ... ldconfig deferred processing now taking place Following your Reproducer, dpkg --purge netrek-server-vanilla root at ubuntu-8:/# dpkg --purge netrek-server-vanilla (Reading database ... 13474 files and directories currently installed.) Removing netrek-server-vanilla ... Purging configuration files for netrek-server-vanilla ... debconf (developer): frontend started debconf (developer): frontend running, package name is netrek-server-vanilla debconf (developer): starting /var/lib/dpkg/info/netrek-server-vanilla.postrm purge debconf (developer): <-- PURGE debconf (developer): --> 0 root at ubuntu-8:/# rm -rf /var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla root at ubuntu-8:/# apt-get install netrek-server-vanilla Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following NEW packages will be installed: netrek-server-vanilla 0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 0B/917kB of archives. After this operation, 2687kB of additional disk space will be used. WARNING: The following packages cannot be authenticated! netrek-server-vanilla Install these packages without verification [y/N]? y Preconfiguring packages ... debconf (developer): starting /tmp/netrek-server-vanilla.config.234421 configure Selecting previously deselected package netrek-server-vanilla. (Reading database ... 13357 files and directories currently installed.) Unpacking netrek-server-vanilla (from .../netrek-server-vanilla_2.13.0ubuntu0.4_i386.deb) ... Setting up netrek-server-vanilla (2.13.0ubuntu0.4) ... root at ubuntu-8:/# /etc/init.d/netrek-server-vanilla start Starting /usr/games/netrekd... netrekd: Vanilla Netrek Listener 2.14.0 started, pid 23496, netrekd: logging to /var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla/log root at ubuntu-8:/# ls -l /var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla/ total 20 drwxr-xr-x 7 games games 4096 Sep 23 23:53 blog drwxr-xr-x 3 games games 4096 Sep 23 23:53 ip -rw------- 1 games games 536 Sep 23 23:54 log -rw-r--r-- 1 games games 6 Sep 23 23:54 netrekd.pid -rw-r--r-- 1 games games 0 Sep 23 18:25 planets drwxr-xr-x 3 games games 4096 Sep 23 23:53 www root at ubuntu-8:/# ps -ef | grep net games 22213 1 0 Sep23 pts/1 00:00:00 /usr/games/netrekd games 23496 1 0 Sep23 pts/1 00:00:00 /usr/games/netrekd games 25260 1 0 00:03 pts/1 00:00:00 /usr/games/netrekd root at ubuntu-8:/# dpkg --purge netrek-server-vanilla (Reading database ... 13474 files and directories currently installed.) Removing netrek-server-vanilla ... Purging configuration files for netrek-server-vanilla ... debconf (developer): frontend started debconf (developer): frontend running, package name is netrek-server-vanilla debconf (developer): starting /var/lib/dpkg/info/netrek-server-vanilla.postrm purge debconf (developer): <-- PURGE debconf (developer): --> 0 dpkg - warning: while removing netrek-server-vanilla, directory `/var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla' not empty so not removed. -- server runs as root unecessarily https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/272338 You received this bug notification because you are a member of Netrek Server Team, which is a direct subscriber. Status in Netrek Server: In Progress Bug description: The server runs as root, but it does not need to. To run as non-root, the packaging should create a username to operate within, and chmod /var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla, and the init.d script should use the created username. A username of netrek is suggested.