However if I log as root on a remote machine from the pc on my desk where I am a regular user, and from that window I type "ssh <myusername>@<mymachine> /sbin/yast2" the yast2 windows opens empty with no command icons component, probably a sign of no root permission.

If i try that, I get an "Error opening terminal: unknown". And that's more or less what I've always got since SUSE changed the default X forwarding... some time ago (8.0? I can't remember) To enable X forwarding, you have to use ssh -X <username>@<machine> /sbin/yast2 Obvously if username isn't root, you get a message stating that you don't get to see the modules that require root access (and you se no modules at all). Using ssh -X root@<machine> /sbin/yast2 does the trick for me. Ciao, Roberto