Problem using pserver access method

[Allan Gregory]

Hi,
        I am trying to use CVS (version 1.10.7) in pserver access mode. I get
strange problems! For example a user that has a project checkedout that works,
ie cvs commands work, (cvs update, cvs commit) but doing a cvs checkout for a
new project gets:

cvs server: cannot open /root/.cvsignore: Permission denied
cvs [server aborted]: can't chdir(/root): Permission denied

error messages

I believe that the files /etc/services and /etc/inetd.conf are correct. I have
writes and paswd files in my CVSROOT area. I am mapping users to a cvs user. My
intention is to have all cvs files owned by the cvs user, so that normal userr
are unable to modify  and cvs files.

Some users have reported cvs commands not working when done as cvs xxx but
working when down as cvs -d $CVSROOT xxx. This appears  affected by previous
commands

Any ideas would be welcome