Ok here is my problem. I am relatively new to Linux. (not Novice, but cerainly not expert.) I have set my system up mainly as a web server. Performance started lacking. As I did some research, I found I was getting cron messages (see below) like crazy. Not only that many of my log files were getting HUGE (in the order of 3 GB). I read another message that suggested the version of Python was too old. I checked my directory and I am showing 4 files "python python1.5 python2 python2.2"

I presume that the numbers indicate the version, however I am unsure of the version without a number (How do I find out?)

Any thoughts on why the errors (and tons of cron messages?)

Any assistance woudl be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks
Paul Gardner


From mailman Tue Sep 17 04:00:02 2002
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 04:00:02 -0400
From: root@papasmurf.pgardner.net (Cron Daemon)
To: mailman@papasmurf.pgardner.net
Subject: Cron <mailman@papasmurf> /usr/bin/python -S /var/mailman/cron/qrunner
X-Cron-Env: <SHELL=/bin/sh>
X-Cron-Env: <HOME=/var/mailman>
X-Cron-Env: <PATH=/usr/bin:/bin>
X-Cron-Env: <LOGNAME=mailman>

Logging error: <StampedLogger to '/var/log/mailman/error'>
Traceback (innermost last):
File "/var/mailman/Mailman/Logging/Logger.py", line 74, in write
f.write(msg)
IOError: [Errno 28] No space left on device
Original log message:
[Errno 28] No space left on device







From mailman Tue Sep 17 04:00:02 2002
Date: Tue, 17 Sep 2002 04:00:02 -0400
From: root@papasmurf.pgardner.net (Cron Daemon)
To: mailman@papasmurf.pgardner.net
Subject: Cron <mailman@papasmurf> /usr/bin/python -S /var/mailman/cron/gate_news
X-Cron-Env: <SHELL=/bin/sh>
X-Cron-Env: <HOME=/var/mailman>
X-Cron-Env: <PATH=/usr/bin:/bin>
X-Cron-Env: <LOGNAME=mailman>

Logging error: <StampedLogger to '/var/log/mailman/error'>
Traceback (innermost last):
File "/var/mailman/Mailman/Logging/Logger.py", line 74, in write
f.write(msg)
IOError: [Errno 28] No space left on device
Original log message:
[Errno 28] No space left on device
Traceback (innermost last):
File "/var/mailman/cron/gate_news", line 222, in ?
main()
File "/var/mailman/cron/gate_news", line 198, in main
lock.lock(timeout=0.5)
File "/var/mailman/Mailman/LockFile.py", line 219, in lock
self.__write()
File "/var/mailman/Mailman/LockFile.py", line 352, in __write
fp.close()
IOError: [Errno 28] No space left on device

I think the key here is "No space left on device". It looks like you've got a full filesystem. If your logfiles are getting "huge", then it's time to start pruning them.

I understand that the file system is full, and I think this is part of the problem. It was not full, and these logs subsequently fill up the drive and I don't know why. I think part of it is some of these mail messages (Note there are a HUGE quantity of them). Not only am I getting these messages it is compounded by the fact the the drive is (or gets) full.

To that end, I went and deleted several (old) logs and freed up in the neighborhood of 4 GB of space but it seems the logs keep getting filled (and thus these messages start appearing). This also leads me into my next question, Is there an easy way to check the remaining/used capacity of the drive? (other than X windows)

Thanks
Paul Gardner

Do the logs mention any problems? This would be the best place to start especially if they just started growing at an extreme rate. Also, you can check file system space with the df command.

Most of the logs don't "seem" to say anything out of the ordinary. But then again being relatively new to reading these logs much of it doesn't mean much to me anyway.

Of the logs that are growing "messages" and "lastlog" seem to be getting the largest.

The majority of the "messages" log is like follows

Sep 17 00:43:24 papasmurf kernel: firewall-IN=eth0 OUT= MAC=52:54:00:e2:c4:b7:00:00:0c:ce:3d:08:08:00 SRC=62.208.142.172 DST=205.238.236.74 LEN=69 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=47 ID=0 DF PROTO=UDP SPT=2002 DPT=2002 LEN=49

Sep 17 00:43:24 papasmurf kernel: IN=eth0 OUT= MAC=52:54:00:e2:c4:b7:00:00:0c:ce:3d:08:08:00 SRC=62.208.142.172 DST=205.238.236.74 LEN=69 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=47 ID=0 DF PROTO=UDP SPT=2002 DPT=2002 LEN=49

the other (large) growing file is "lastlog" which is apparently just data that I cannot view (at least with vi).

Thanks again for your input.

Paul Gardner