Suddenly and out of nowhere a bunch of files in /bin and /usr/bin (we're talking about linux, btw) won't run unless you're root. System things like ps, locate and find. doing 'chmod +x <program>' gives a "chmod: ps: Operation not permitted" error, even as root. ls -l <file> shows that most of the apps that don't work are in group lp. chgrp just says "operation not permitted" too. Anybody had a similiar problem before?

From my knowledge, ps has always required you to be root... as for locate and find, if you're looking in directories that your user account is not permitted to view will of course, produce that error.

I can't really explain the rest of it, but it sounds like the permissions on the whole /bin & /usr/bin dirs have been messed up.

ps works for me as any user - viewing everyone's processes (RH 7.1... I dunno what version of ps that would be)

ps works for every user, always has.
just do:
chmod a+x /bin/*
chmod a+x /usr/bin/*

Okay... whatever monolithic unix variant I got that misconception from must have been... Irix 5.2?!

my computer happily chmod +x ifies everything under /bin, /usr/bin/, and pretty much anywhere else. it gives a "/bin/blalal: Operation not permitted," for netstat, ps, locate, and find. even as root. since when can root not do whatever they want to do?