"run the cpan for the first time as root to create the initial CPAN/Config.pm"

Actually, that's exactly what I did (cos I am lazy..)

I went to /etc/perl/CPAN/Config.pm, opened it in an editor and copy/pasted it over into the

print FILE "
--here goes the config, would paste it but not at hand (and is actuall
+y nothing special)---
";
[download]

So when I run my script it overwrites the contents of the Config.pm properly. Then I run cpan and it complains. I redo the config questions and then cpan runs ok.

When I re-run my script to test, and replace the file once again with the same data, cpan again complains...

Any further ideas? (I will see if my script really writes the config file cpan is contacting under the user I am trying this.. Although it should be the one: cpan states this path right after startup..)