--- a/config/PETSc/options/installDir.py
+++ b/config/PETSc/options/installDir.py
@@ -40,13 +40,7 @@ class Configure(config.base.Configure):
       self.dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(self.framework.argDB['prefix']))
       self.petscDir = self.dir
       self.petscArch = ''
-      try:
-        os.makedirs(os.path.join(self.dir,'PETScTestDirectory'))
-        os.rmdir(os.path.join(self.dir,'PETScTestDirectory'))
-      except Exception as e:
-        self.logPrint('Error trying to to test write permissions on directory '+str(e))
-        self.installSudo = 'sudo '
     else:
       self.dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(self.petscdir.dir, self.arch.arch))
       self.petscDir = self.petscdir.dir