cvsignore problem

[Schwenk, Jeanie]

When I try to checkout (from WinCVS.  Repository is on unix box.) I get this
error:

cvs server: cannot open /homeroot/.cvsignore: Permission denied

Note 1:  /homeroot is the actually home directory for the unix user root.

Note 2:  I am not root.  I am cvsadmin and the entire software was installed
as cvsadmin (except where root was needed).

Questions:
1.  Is the cvsignore file required?  The documentation 
    did not state that explicitly.  
2.  Where does it belong on unix and the pc?  
3.  Does it need to be on both?  
4.  Why is it going to the /etc/passwd file and using 
    root's home directory as a starting point?  

Initially, I had this problem on the unix side as well.  But I added a
passwd, readers and writers files to CVSROOT.  I have no problems as any
user on the unix box now where as I was getting this problem on both unix
and windows before.  Is it something particular to the windows side?

I have been fighting this all day and am making no progress.  Please help!

Jeanie