[SOLVED] What are these large files and may I safely delete them?

I have a separate computer used for distributed computing projects via BOINC. BOINC is the only thing that computer does. I run it several days in a row, let it rest (power off) a few hours, then go for several more days.

Basic Info:
- 64 bit Kubuntu 14.04
- A6-7400k
- GA F2A58M-HD2
- 4 gb ddr3 system ram
- 500 gb hdd (about 440 gb root and 25 gb home, no swap)

Here is the problem: My hdd is filling up and I have no idea why.

Within only 4 or 5 days of use, I've managed to fill 180+ gb. Here is the disk usage my BOINC program reports:

- Used by BOINC: 897 MB
- Free available to BOINC: 212 GB (This used to be about 360 GB)
- Used by other programs: 219 GB (This used to be less than 30 GB)

I have no idea what "other programs" could exist because BOINC is the only program I run on this pc. After investigating my hdd partitions, here is what I found:

#1: /var/log/syslog.1 (36 GB)
#2: /var/log/kern.log (126 GB)
#3: /proc/kcore (128 TB - how is that even possible if my hdd is only 500 GB?)

Question: What are these large files and may I safely delete them?

After doing some research, I did find this link which seems related, but I don't have enough linux experience / tech knowledge to know if it applies to my situation.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1394909

I appreciate any insight.

Thank you!

/proc/kcore is a virtual file which maps all the RAM the kernel can work with -- do not attempt to delete it.

You can safely delete the log files but you may want to look at them first & try to find out why they are so large...

Originally Posted by Head_on_a_Stick /proc/kcore is a virtual file which maps all the RAM the kernel can work with -- do not attempt to delete it. You can safely delete the log files but you may want to look at them first & try to find out why they are so large...

Ok, but when I click "properties" on kcore, it shows 128 TiB which isn't even possible considering my entire hdd is only 500 GB. Is this a problem or may I safely ignore it?

Thank you!

It is not a problem, and you may safely ignore it. Anything in /proc/ doesn't actually exist as a true "file", but is a means for the kernel to expose data (that it chooses) to userspace.
As for the other files, particulary kern.log, it may not be safe to simply delete it due to permissions - I prefer to simply empty "system" files like thus

> kern.log

Looks strange, but works.

Do you have logrotate installed and working? Logrotate

Most distros seem to come with it pre-configured, but I once ran into a situation on Debian in which I had to set it up.

From the man page:

logrotate is designed to ease administration of systems that generate large numbers of log files. It allows automatic rotation, compression, removal, and mailing of log files. Each log file may be handled daily, weekly, monthly, or when it grows too large.

So, would "logrotate" keep the log size manageable? Ideally, I would like to prevent the logs from growing so large so I don't have to constantly delete them.

Would "log rotate" work?

Would anything else prevent them from growing so large?

One very major "program" you are ignoring is Kubuntu, assuming that is what you installed, and as this is your OS it is a fairly substancial piece of software.

Likely the largest OS, used to be anyway, offered in the Ubuntu "family".

Do not delete log files. Those files have to be there as many processes report to them. If they are not there your system will very possibly break.

Do check log rotate.

I see you have 4gigs ram. How much of that is dedicated to boinc?

Was boinc installed from the Ubuntu repos or downloaded from boinc and completely installed in userland as most of the boinc-testing versions are?

What percentage of your cpu usage is dedicated to boinc?

Yes I have used boinc since 09.

I use a AMD FX 6300 3.4GHtz cpu. So per core about the same. Works very nicely. Find the cooling is better if I set the thing at 85. That means I am using 5 cores and they rotate this keeps the temp very nice (58 to 65C).

You really should check on the temp. Boinc is a very intense application and will really give your cpu a workout. Will run at 100% all the time if you let it. This does warm things up a good bit.

Counting the fan that came with the case, the power unit fan, the cpu fan I have 7 fans with the 4 I added to the case.

What is your video card?

Originally Posted by MBA Whore So, would "logrotate" keep the log size manageable?

Yes, provided you configure logrotate to your needs. See:
man logrotate

Originally Posted by MBA Whore Would anything else prevent them from growing so large?

Not automatically but you could manage the logs manually which is a pain.

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Steve Stites

Duplicate post with this one.
I don't think that it's fair to have 2 such posts running in parallel.

Originally Posted by Pearlseattle Duplicate post with this one. I don't think that it's fair to have 2 such posts running in parallel.

Fair is not the word.

Two threads on the same subject is wrong in any event. In the case of this forum it is also against forum policy.

Member informed, closed duplicate of https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ge-4175536930/.