ubuntu0.4 fixes the error return status from dpkg(1), thanks. New minor problem ... an error during initial install, which does not occur during reinstall, probably because /var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla is not owned by games at the time netrekd is started. Reproducer: # dpkg --purge netrek-server-vanilla # rm -rf /var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla # apt-get install netrek-server-vanilla ... Setting up netrek-server-vanilla (2.13.0ubuntu0.4) ... Starting /usr/games/netrekd... /var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla/log: Permission denied netrekd: port 2592, ntserv, listening fd 3, to do "ntserv" netrekd: port 2591, tools/players, listening fd 4, to do "players" m netrekd: port 3521, tools/players, listening fd 5, to do "players" u netrekd: port 2593, ntserv, listening fd 6, to do "ntservobs" -q 6 netrekd: port 2596, special, listening fd 7, to do "statistics" netrekd: port 4566, ntserv, listening fd 8, to do "home" -q 2 netrekd: port 4577, ntserv, listening fd 9, to do "away" -q 3 netrekd: port 4000, ntserv, listening fd 10, to do "homeobs" -q 4 netrekd: port 5000, ntserv, listening fd 11, to do "awayobs" -q 5 netrekd: Vanilla Netrek Listener 2.14.0 started, pid 9246, netrekd: logging to /var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla/log At this point it says it is logging, but it isn't. There is no "log" file. lsof of the netrekd shows it has bound fds 0, 1, and 2 to the pts used by dpkg. Why might you have missed this? A removal of the package before anything is created in /var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla results in the /var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla directory being removed. But if anything is created inside this directory, the package removal does not remove the directory. # touch /var/lib/netrek-server-vanilla/test -- 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.