CLI cp does not

[theocl]

I'm attempting to copy a file (alsa-base) which is an edited copy of the original from my home directory to the original directory (/etc/modprobe.d) where I have deleted the original file. AFAIK, permissions are OK, and I've tried using the -u option as well. It doesn't copy.
What am I not understanding or doing wrong?!
Thanks.

[Dr Small]

Permission problem?
Try using sudo:
http://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo

[taurus]

What command did you use to copy alsa-base from your $HOME to /etc/modprobe.d?

sudo cp alsa-base /etc/modprobe.d
ls -la /etc/modprobe.d

[heindsight]

As a normal user, you don't have permission to write to /etc/modprobe.d
Use sudo to temporarily get root privileges to write the file to /etc/modprobe.d:

sudo cp alsa-base /etc/modprobe.d

You'll be asked to enter your password. After you enter your password, the file will be copied.

[theocl]

Thanks for your responses all, but as indicated permissions are OK (set 777 on directories and file to be sure) and used sudo with the command as shown in your responses. The ls -la shows nothing?!
Any other thoughts (I hope)?!

[taurus]

What do you mean it shows nothing? Type this in and post the whole output here then.

ls -la /etc/modprobe.d

[theocl]

Taurus - here it is:
theo@theo-desktop:/etc/modprobe.d$ ls -la
total 80
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2009-03-13 18:58 .
drwxr-xr-x 118 root root 12288 2009-03-14 14:00 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4624 2007-10-05 09:41 aliases
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2009-03-12 22:39 arch
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 2009-03-12 22:39 arch-aliases -> arch/i386
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 980 2008-10-06 05:51 blacklist
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 628 2007-10-05 09:41 blacklist-framebuffer
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 156 2007-10-05 07:06 blacklist-modem
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 41 2009-03-12 22:40 blacklist-oss -> /lib/linux-sound-base/noOSS.modprobe.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 38 2007-10-05 08:26 blacklist-scanner
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 838 2007-10-05 09:41 blacklist-watchdog
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 343 2007-09-18 17:01 fuse
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 205 2007-10-15 04:41 ipw3945
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 299 2007-10-05 09:41 isapnp
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 38 2008-03-25 10:31 libsane
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 294 2007-10-15 04:41 lrm-video
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 29 2006-10-09 06:33 nvidia-kernel-nkc
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 173 2007-10-05 09:41 options
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 41 2007-09-19 02:50 toshiba_acpi.modprobe

[theocl]

Further on the file list, I've changed the permissions back to original. I did check that they were changed to 777 before attempting the copy.

[taurus]

Thanks for your responses all, but as indicated permissions are OK (set 777 on directories and file to be sure) and used sudo with the command as shown in your responses. The ls -la shows nothing?!
Any other thoughts (I hope)?!

Taurus - here it is:
theo@theo-desktop:/etc/modprobe.d$ ls -la
total 80
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2009-03-13 18:58 .
drwxr-xr-x 118 root root 12288 2009-03-14 14:00 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4624 2007-10-05 09:41 aliases
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2009-03-12 22:39 arch
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 2009-03-12 22:39 arch-aliases -> arch/i386
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 980 2008-10-06 05:51 blacklist
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 628 2007-10-05 09:41 blacklist-framebuffer
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 156 2007-10-05 07:06 blacklist-modem
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 41 2009-03-12 22:40 blacklist-oss -> /lib/linux-sound-base/noOSS.modprobe.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 38 2007-10-05 08:26 blacklist-scanner
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 838 2007-10-05 09:41 blacklist-watchdog
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 343 2007-09-18 17:01 fuse
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 205 2007-10-15 04:41 ipw3945
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 299 2007-10-05 09:41 isapnp
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 38 2008-03-25 10:31 libsane
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 294 2007-10-15 04:41 lrm-video
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 29 2006-10-09 06:33 nvidia-kernel-nkc
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 173 2007-10-05 09:41 options
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 41 2007-09-19 02:50 toshiba_acpi.modprobe

There is something in there, not empty.

Where is your alsa-base? Is it on $HOME or $HOME/Desktop?

find ~ -name alsa-base -print

[theocl]

I'll be more accurate with terms - sorry.
Here's alsa-base locations:
theo@theo-desktop:/etc/modprobe.d$ find ~ -name alsa-base -print
/home/theo/alsa-base
/home/theo/SoundCard/alsa-base

The one in /home/theo is the copy of the original, the other is the edited copy which includes options for SB AWE and 16 cards.

Not to get off track but so you know the issue, I was trying to get the card working with a SB 16 card (and did temporarily - it did not after a reboot). I also get error "Could not open location; you might not have permission to open the file." from Totem Movie Player 2.22.1 attempting to play a CD on this system.