[MPlayer-users] how I let normal users use pci scan?

[The Wanderer]

Sergio Monteiro Basto wrote:

> Hi, 
> 
> [savage_vid] Error occurred during pci scan: Operation not permitted
> 
> How I give permission for a simple user use it ?
> 
> I'd try 
> chmod +s /usr/X11R6/bin/scanpci
> chmod +s /usr/X11R6/bin/pcitweak
> 
> and I could do scanpci as a normal user but 
> MPlayer still saying Operation not permitted

That's because MPlayer still doesn't have permission to read the
necessary 'file's. MPlayer does not use scanpci or any other external
binary for the purpose, unless I'm very much mistaken.

You need to either make it possible for the user in question to access
the specific device nodes involved, or set the suid bit on the MPlayer
binary - and neither of those is a very good idea.

HOWEVER, there are kernel helper modules specifically intended to enable
users to get around this problem. When I complained of a similar
problem quite some time ago, I was told to compile and use dhahelper
(which was provided in the MPlayer source tree); this fixed the problem
temporarily, although since then I haven't been able to get it to work
again. There's also svgalibhelper, which I *think* is supposed to be
another approach to the same issue, but I know even less about that one
than about the other.

-- 
       The Wanderer

Warning: Simply because I argue an issue does not mean I agree with any
side of it.

Secrecy is the beginning of tyranny.