make sure syslog rotating your system log files

just check a computer i got and see huge system log files at /var/log.
it was last rotated september last year. it's running everyday between 8am to 8pm.

so why suddently (after sept 2008) it's stop rotating the log files?

first, see when syslog run. syslog should be executed by cron.daily
so, when this cron.daily runs?

$ cat /etc/crontab
# /etc/crontab: system-wide crontab
# Unlike any other crontab you don't have to run the `crontab'
# command to install the new version when you edit this file
# and files in /etc/cron.d. These files also have username fields,
# that none of the other crontabs do.

SHELL=/bin/sh
PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin

# m h dom mon dow user  command
17 *    * * *   root    cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly
25 6    * * *   root    test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.daily )
47 6    * * 7   root    test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.weekly )
52 6    1 * *   root    test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.monthly )
#

see... by default, all daily, weekly and montly cron runs at about 6 something in the morning. my pc has not wake at that time. that's why all the cron never executed. that's why my log grows so huge.

now, replace all 6 with 9 to make sure my pc is already awake and all cron can be executed.


how about yours? have you ever turn on your linux at 6am? if not, better go check your log files Now!


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tips & tricks on computers and gadgets
denny on IT ; let's doIT
documenting the brain