>>
>> cvs update -dP pkgsrc
>
> I usually do "cvs update" from within the root directory of the
> checked-out tree, so that the cvs process automatically picks up
> the information from CVS/ from the current directory (e.g. the
> CVS server location from CVS/Root).
>
> With the above, you would have to have the CVSROOT environment
> variable set, and it would have to be exactly the same as what
> you used when you checked out in the first place, and then again
> I'm not even sure whether it would work properly (I never do it
> like that).
>
> Regards,
>
> - H?vard
>
i turned all shell variables off except CVS_RSH="ssh" and did as you said 
- now all works right


anyway - what's changed in cvs client or server that it stopped working my 
old way (that i used for 2 years)?