[TYPO3-linux] BE login accepted, but return to login box on fresh install 4.4.2

[Krunoslav Sever]

Hi list,

I am on Debian squeeze and made a minimal install of typo3 version 
4.4.2: downloaded the tar.gz, created the document root for apache2 and 
used a localconf.php with 'extList' only including 'install', the 
standard install tool passwd and the mysql connection data to an empty db.

Starting the install tool, I completed basic configuration successfully, 
compared/imported tables and created an admin user. So far, so good.

But when trying to login into the backend, I am always returned to the 
backend login again. I am certain that my password is accepted: a 
sys_log entry confirms this and using an incorrect password is in fact 
noticed. Each (apparently correct) login attempt actually creates its 
own entry in be_session, maybe this is helpful.

There are no error messages that I can find, even after trying out 
various logging options, so I am fairly stumped at this point. It is 
also no question of access rights, as this occurs even when all files in 
the document dir are owned and writable by www-data.

I also tried various combinations in the update wizard in the install 
tool, before proceeding to the BE login, but regardless of what 
combination I tried (skin, system extensions, compatibility version,... 
+ database update, removing temp files in typo3conf), the login problem 
persists.

Oh, and the same apache2 successfully serves a typo3 4.2 installation 
with no problems at all, with identical configuration (except for the 
virtual server name, of course). So it is probably unlikely that apache 
is the culprit.

Any one have an idea?

Best
   Kruno