so I am trying to install hmac gem install ruby-hmac -v 0.4.0 I am getting the following error message: You don't have write permissions into the /opt/rbenv/versions/1.9.3-p448/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1 directory So the output from ls -l is as such: ubuntu@ip-10-38-121-211:~/workspace/cf-release$ sudo ls -l /opt/rbenv/versions/1.9.3-p448/lib/ruby/gems/ I perform a chown on this directory: sudo chown -R ubuntu:ubuntu /opt/rbenv/versions/1.9.3-p448/lib/ruby/gems/ Try to install the gem: ubuntu@ip-10-38-121-211:~/workspace/cf-release$ sudo chown -v ubuntu:ubuntu /opt/rbenv/versions/1.9.3-p448/lib/ruby/gems/ ownership of `/opt/rbenv/versions/1.9.3-p448/lib/ruby/gems/' retained as ubuntu:ubuntu I do another ls -l on the directory: ubuntu@ip-10-38-121-211:~/workspace/cf-release$ ls -l /opt/rbenv/versions/1.9.3-p448/lib/ruby/gems/ total 4 d--------- 8 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Nov 1 20:43 1.9.1 Doing a chmod 777 to make the directory writeable: ubuntu@ip-10-38-121-211:~/workspace/cf-release$ sudo chmod -v 777 /opt/rbenv/versions/1.9.3-p448/lib/ruby/gems/ mode of `/opt/rbenv/versions/1.9.3-p448/lib/ruby/gems/' retained as 0777 (rwxrwxrwx) ubuntu@ip-10-38-121-211:~/workspace/cf-release$ ls -l /opt/rbenv/versions/1.9.3-p448/lib/ruby/gems/ total 4 d--------- 8 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Nov 1 20:43 1.9.1 Any idea as to why this would be acting up like this? I am at a loss here.. any help appreciated