settings lost

[linux seaq]

Hi, i'm having this issue with settings manager, it's simple i cannot
save any configuration ghange between sessions.  if i set a backdrop the
next time i start a session it goes back to the default one, margins,
the same, taskbar autohide feature the same, even the gkrellm settings
of not showing it at the panel nor the taskbar are lost.

this occurs without distinction between users or ways of starting the
session (xdm or xinit/startxfce4) 

a message appears on the console saying:  xfce-mcs-manager WARNING annot
save file /root/.xfce4/settings/workspaces.xml or backdrop.xml or
margins.xml ... (it appears also with /home/andres ...)

i've got permissions on the dirs, there's plenty of room at the
partition, evrything is ok (apparently).

what should i do? what could be the problem?

anyway, thanks a lot for your help and for producing this nice piece of
software.  I like it a lot!