[SOLVED] crontab didn't run

qwertyjjj · 08-11-2009, 03:32 AM

Seems my crontab didn't run lastnight as no backup file was created.
ANy ideas what's wrong?

Code:

# run-parts
01 * * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.hourly
02 4 * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.daily
22 4 * * 0 root run-parts /etc/cron.weekly
42 4 1 * * root run-parts /etc/cron.monthly
00 23 * * * root /usr/bin/sarg
00 00 * * * root /etc/cron.daily/0logwatch
00 01 * * * root tar -cvvf backup-`date +%d%m%Y`.tar /etc /var/log /var/www /usr/lib/squid/ncsa_auth
#10 01 * * * root gzip backup-'date +%d%m%Y'.tar

@reboot  echo "Server has restarted "`hostname` | mail -s "System Restart" email@myemailadd.com

centosboy · 08-11-2009, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwertyjjj

Seems my crontab didn't run lastnight as no backup file was created.
ANy ideas what's wrong?

Code:

# run-parts
01 * * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.hourly
02 4 * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.daily
22 4 * * 0 root run-parts /etc/cron.weekly
42 4 1 * * root run-parts /etc/cron.monthly
00 23 * * * root /usr/bin/sarg
00 00 * * * root /etc/cron.daily/0logwatch
00 01 * * * root tar -cvvf backup-`date +%d%m%Y`.tar /etc /var/log /var/www /usr/lib/squid/ncsa_auth
#10 01 * * * root gzip backup-'date +%d%m%Y'.tar

@reboot  echo "Server has restarted "`hostname` | mail -s "System Restart" email@myemailadd.com

couple of things you can do.

try the command manually - make sure it works.
check the logs - /var/log/cron
best use full paths too, (/bin/tar) as cron has limited shell unless you tell it otherwise
redirect any errors to a log ( 2> /path/to/logfile)

better still and more cleaner, use roots crontab rather then /etc/crontab.
by that, i mean use crontab -e

timvandijk039 · 08-11-2009, 03:50 AM

Is your cron daemon running?
Are there any log entries suggesting that there's some wrong?

Tinkster · 08-11-2009, 04:02 AM

As a rule of thumb: *always* use full paths to programs and
files in crontabs.

Code:

00 01 * * * root /bin/tar -cvvf /path/to/backup-`/bin/date +%d%m%Y`.tar /etc /var/log /var/www /usr/lib/squid/ncsa_auth

Cheers,
Tink

qwertyjjj · 08-11-2009, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinkster

As a rule of thumb: *always* use full paths to programs and
files in crontabs.

Code:

00 01 * * * root /bin/tar -cvvf /path/to/backup-`/bin/date +%d%m%Y`.tar /etc /var/log /var/www /usr/lib/squid/ncsa_auth

Cheers,
Tink

Ok - I've changed that but this one didn't work either:

Code:

00 00 * * * root /etc/cron.daily/0logwatch

When I run it manually, I receive an email.

centosboy · 08-11-2009, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwertyjjj

Ok - I've changed that but this one didn't work either:

Code:

00 00 * * * root /etc/cron.daily/0logwatch

When I run it manually, I receive an email.

does the cron log say it ran?

add

Code:

 2 >> /path/to/logfile at the end of the cron command

qwertyjjj · 08-11-2009, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by centosboy

does the cron log say it ran?

add

Code:

 2 >> /path/to/logfile at the end of the cron command

sorry, you mean right at the end of the cron script? What would that do?

catkin · 08-11-2009, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwertyjjj

sorry, you mean right at the end of the cron script? What would that do?

See "3.6.3 Appending Redirected Output" in bash reference manual

unSpawn · 08-11-2009, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwertyjjj

Ok - I've changed that but this one didn't work either:

Code:

00 00 * * * root /etc/cron.daily/0logwatch

When I run it manually, I receive an email.

If you installed from RPM then on RHEL / RHEL-ish this does not make sense as /usr/bin/run-parts will drive cronjobs in /etc/cron.{hourly,daily,weekly,monthly} from /etc/crontab. So Logwatch is already set to run without you mucking with crontab entries manually.

* By now I strongly suggest you pace things and read the Centos docs and Rute before proceding because you are running too much concurrent threads with too much simple, common questions that could be solved by reading the basic docs and using common sense. With all due respect.

qwertyjjj · 08-11-2009, 11:03 AM

Like this:

Code:

# run-parts
01 * * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.hourly
02 4 * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.daily
22 4 * * 0 root run-parts /etc/cron.weekly
42 4 1 * * root run-parts /etc/cron.monthly
00 23 * * * root /usr/bin/sarg
2 >> /root/mylog.log
00 00 * * * root /etc/cron.daily/0logwatch
2 >> /root/mylog.log
00 01 * * * root /bin/tar -cvvf /root/backup-`/bin/date +%d%m%Y`.tar /etc /var/log /var/www /usr/lib/squid/ncsa_auth
2 >> /root/mylog.log
10 01 * * * root /bin/gzip /root/backup-'/bin/date +%d%m%Y'.tar
2 >> /root/mylog.log

repo · 08-11-2009, 11:09 AM

Code:

00 00 * * * root /etc/cron.daily/0logwatch 2 >> /root/mylog.log

How do you execute the cronjob, in order to see if it works ?

qwertyjjj · 08-11-2009, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by repo

Code:

00 00 * * * root /etc/cron.daily/0logwatch 2 >> /root/mylog.log

How do you execute the cronjob, in order to see if it works ?

I just run this command at root:
/etc/cron.daily/0logwatch

repo · 08-11-2009, 11:24 AM

AFAIK, if there aren't any changes in the logfiles, since the previous run, no mail will be sent.

qwertyjjj · 08-13-2009, 03:19 AM

I am getting the following errors in the crontab (sent to me by email) - any ideas what causes the EOF error?

Code:

SHELL=/bin/bash
PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
MAILTO=myemailaddress@howmanymoreerrors.com
HOME=/

# run-parts
01 * * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.hourly
02 4 * * * root run-parts /etc/cron.daily
22 4 * * 0 root run-parts /etc/cron.weekly
42 4 1 * * root run-parts /etc/cron.monthly
00 21 * * * root /usr/bin/sarg
00 00 * * * root /etc/cron.daily/0logwatch
00 01 * * * root /bin/tar -cvvf /root/backup-`/bin/date +%d%m%Y`.tar /etc /var/log /var/www /usr/lib/squid/ncsa_auth
10 01 * * * root /bin/gzip /root/backup-`/bin/date +%d%m%Y`.tar

Code:

Cron <root@localhost> /bin/tar -cvvf /root/backup-`/bin/date +
/bin/bash: -c: line 0: unexpected EOF while looking for matching ``'
/bin/bash: -c: line 1: syntax error: unexpected end of file

Cron <root@localhost> /bin/gzip /root/backup-`/bin/date +
/bin/bash: -c: line 0: unexpected EOF while looking for matching ``'
/bin/bash: -c: line 1: syntax error: unexpected end of file

repo · 08-13-2009, 03:24 AM

Please post the script which generates the errors
/root/backup