./images/avatars directory not writable even though...

[Snowhog]

...the permissions and ownership on it are correct:

I'm logged onto our server now (SSH) and looking at the directory for avatars: ./images/avatars

The directory has no image files. The index.html file is there as well as the thumbs sub-directory, which is also devoid of any images files (it also has an index.html file).

I don't know what to make of this, as this is the only avatar directory I am aware of, yet all the Administrators avatars are being displayed, as well as their profile pictures.

Something interesting, is that in the AdminCP, when I run Maintenance > General Update Tools > Rebuild Avatar Thumbnails I get the message:

The avatar thumbnail directory at /images/avatars/thumbs is not writable. Please contact your host for assistance. Thumbnails cannot be created until this issue is resolved.

Yet the permissions and ownership of the directory, files, sub-directory and files are correct:

drwxr-xr-x  3 root root  4096 2012-11-18 12:02 avatars

drwxr-xr-x  3 root root 4096 2012-11-18 12:02 .
drwxr-xr-x 24 root root 4096 2012-03-26 00:03 ..
-rw-r--r--  1 root root    1 2012-08-29 22:10 index.html
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root 4096 2012-01-10 08:35 thumbs

drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2012-01-10 08:35 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2012-11-18 12:02 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    1 2012-08-29 22:10 index.html

Added:
This from the follow-up post by our member:

I started noticing posts without avatars yesterday evening. Also, when trying to access the avatar panel I get the following error message:

benny_fletch, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of
several reasons:
Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you
trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other
privileged system?
If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may
be awaiting activation.

EDIT: I am actually getting a similar error as above when trying to send a PM, accessing Settings -> General Settings, Edit Profile, and Edit Avatar. Also, it is the posting Avatar, I don't think I ever set one that shows in my profile page.

Suggestions? Comments? Thoughts?

Why is the avatars directory not writable, according to vBulletin, even though it is? How do I fix this?


Additionally, our members (non-Administrators) are also saying:

"I also get similar errors when trying to send PMs, access profile settings and general settings"