Cron job not running?
 

My scripts are located in /root/bin:
start-p0f.sh
#!/bin/sh
#
# p0f startup script.
#
#
# PURPOSE: To start the p0f process
# Add '-d' to command line for debug information

set -x

# Start p0f
/root/UMThesis/p0f2003/p0f/p0f > /root/UMThesis/p0f2003/output.txt

stop-p0f.sh
#!/bin/bash
#
# p0f stop script.
#
#
# PURPOSE: To stop the p0f process
# Add '-d' to command line for debug information

set -x

# Stop p0f

killall -15 p0f

I tried running cron today on friday, I tried both Fri and 5:
30 13 * * Fri root /root/bin/start-p0f.sh
40 13 * * Fri root /root/bin/stop-p0f.sh

But the cron job will not run.What did I do wrong?
In addition,when I run start-p0f.sh by itself, it is OK.
Also when I run stop-p0f.sh by itself, it says:bash: /root/bin/stop-p0f.sh: Permission denied
What is actually wrong?

This is the detailed description of the problem that I am facing.
Hope someone can help me, please.:)
Thanks a million

Re: Cron job not running?
 

Instead of putting Fri in:

30 13 * * Fri root /root/bin/start-p0f.sh

Why not put a 5 which would be the correct way like this:

30 13 * * 5 root /root/bin/start-p0f.sh

Also make sure you even have the cron daemon running as well.

Regards.

Tried using 5 but could not
 

Yes I did use 5 but it still cannot run.
Also, how to make sure that cron daemon is running as well.
I am new at this so hope you can provide some guidance.

Thanks

there's probably an easier way, but if I'm checking for a running process, i use:

ps aux | grep [process name]

So in this case I'd use

ps aux | grep cron

result:

/--02:34 AM
\--modify@penance:~$ ps aux | grep cron
root 394 0.0 0.1 1744 676 ? S Dec09 0:00 /usr/sbin/cron
modify 16397 0.0 0.0 1540 508 ttyp1 S 02:39 0:00 grep cron

/--02:39 AM
\--modify@penance:~$


Edit: Since you're running that as user root (assuming you don't have any aliases set up), any status/error/output messages generated by that cron job would get sent to root; you might try checking root's mail to see if anything interesting is in there.

su
[password]
mail

When I set up a cron job I become whatever user I want it to run as and do a 'crontab -e' Then I just put in the crontab like so:
30 13 * * 5 /root/bin/start-p0f.sh
I don't usually see the username listed in the cron line.

That's true, I didn't even notice the username he has put in his cron line as I just pasted what he had and changed the Fri to 5. If your using crontab -e you don't need to specify the user as its only editing the cron for the user your currently logged in as.

Run for one hour
 

Thanks for all the replies ealier.

Another question:Can I make p0f run for one hour per day and then kill it using the stop-p0f .sh without say example specifying the actual time?

Thanks
James