[SOLVED] nothing in /var/log/messages

divyashree · 06-15-2009, 09:47 AM

When setting up a tftp,vsftpd server some failed message came on my way which should be checked in the /var/log/messages file.But there is no content in that file ,alwayas empty...where will I check the log messages..???

GlennsPref · 06-15-2009, 09:50 AM

Hi, you may need root permission to access the files there.

I take it you have admin access.

Hope this helps.

Regards Glenn

divyashree · 06-15-2009, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlennsPref

Hi, you may need root permission to access the files there.

I take it you have admin access.

Hope this helps.

Regards Glenn

Hey bro I am in root,server setup can't be done in user mode ...

GlennsPref · 06-16-2009, 12:53 AM

Hi, sorry 'bout that.

I said that because as user the file will open with kate but a 12Mb file looks empty.

type

ls -la /var/log/

to get a list of files and directories for /var/log/.

is there a messages file?

Check as root with

cat /var/log/messages

does the system or programs have write privileges to /var/log

You may need to check the groups they belong to.

regards Glenn

kirukan · 06-16-2009, 01:25 AM

isnt there a seperate log file for vsftpd check the /var/log/ directory

divyashree · 06-16-2009, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlennsPref

Hi, sorry 'bout that.

I said that because as user the file will open with kate but a 12Mb file looks empty.

type

ls -la /var/log/

to get a list of files and directories for /var/log/.

is there a messages file?

Check as root with

cat /var/log/messages

does the system or programs have write privileges to /var/log

You may need to check the groups they belong to.

regards Glenn

Ya checked,a no of message file exist as below ,

Quote:

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Jun 14 16:32 messages
-rw------- 1 root root 0 Jun 7 04:02 messages.1
-rw------- 1 root root 0 May 31 11:57 messages.2
-rw------- 1 root root 0 May 24 12:06 messages.3
-rw------- 1 root root 0 May 17 08:15 messages.4

But all are of size zero,cat shows empty!!!!!!!!
Now what to do ??

divyashree · 06-16-2009, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirukan

isnt there a seperate log file for vsftpd check the /var/log/ directory

No u just check ,/etc/syslog.conf for various logs.

GlennsPref · 06-16-2009, 05:30 PM

I don't know! my short answer....

rpm -Va | grep miss

take a while but finds missing libs that are said to be installed, but are not.

It takes a while on my system.....upto 20 minutes...

My /etc/syslog.conf file looks like this...

Code:

# Mandriva syslog configuration
# $Id: sysklogd.conf 93075 2007-09-26 13:02:56Z blino $

# sensible stuff
auth,authpriv.*					/var/log/auth.log

# generic stuff
*.info;mail,news,authpriv.none			-/var/log/messages
*.*;auth,authpriv.none				-/var/log/syslog
user.*						-/var/log/user.log

# Mail logging
mail.=debug;mail.=info;mail.=notice		-/var/log/mail/info.log
mail.=warn					-/var/log/mail/warnings.log
mail.err					-/var/log/mail/errors.log

# Cron logging
cron.=debug;cron.=info;cron.=notice		-/var/log/cron/info.log
cron.=warn					-/var/log/cron/warnings.log
cron.err					-/var/log/cron/errors.log

# Kernel logging
kern.=debug;kern.=info;kern.=notice		-/var/log/kernel/info.log
kern.=warn					-/var/log/kernel/warnings.log
kern.err					/var/log/kernel/errors.log

# Daemons logging
daemon.=debug;daemon.=info;daemon.=notice	-/var/log/daemons/info.log
daemon.=warn					-/var/log/daemons/warnings.log
daemon.err					-/var/log/daemons/errors.log

# Drakxtools logging
local1.*					-/var/log/explanations

# Boot messages logging
local7.*					-/var/log/boot.log

# Emergency messages for logged users
*.emerg						*

# All messages on last terminal
*.* /dev/tty12

this may be different in Redhat, I use Mandriva.

see how you go, regards Glenn

divyashree · 06-16-2009, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlennsPref

I don't know! my short answer....

rpm -Va | grep miss

take a while but finds missing libs that are said to be installed, but are not.

It takes a while on my system.....upto 20 minutes...

My /etc/syslog.conf file looks like this...

Code:

# Mandriva syslog configuration
# $Id: sysklogd.conf 93075 2007-09-26 13:02:56Z blino $

# sensible stuff
auth,authpriv.*					/var/log/auth.log

# generic stuff
*.info;mail,news,authpriv.none			-/var/log/messages
*.*;auth,authpriv.none				-/var/log/syslog
user.*						-/var/log/user.log

# Mail logging
mail.=debug;mail.=info;mail.=notice		-/var/log/mail/info.log
mail.=warn					-/var/log/mail/warnings.log
mail.err					-/var/log/mail/errors.log

# Cron logging
cron.=debug;cron.=info;cron.=notice		-/var/log/cron/info.log
cron.=warn					-/var/log/cron/warnings.log
cron.err					-/var/log/cron/errors.log

# Kernel logging
kern.=debug;kern.=info;kern.=notice		-/var/log/kernel/info.log
kern.=warn					-/var/log/kernel/warnings.log
kern.err					/var/log/kernel/errors.log

# Daemons logging
daemon.=debug;daemon.=info;daemon.=notice	-/var/log/daemons/info.log
daemon.=warn					-/var/log/daemons/warnings.log
daemon.err					-/var/log/daemons/errors.log

# Drakxtools logging
local1.*					-/var/log/explanations

# Boot messages logging
local7.*					-/var/log/boot.log

# Emergency messages for logged users
*.emerg						*

# All messages on last terminal
*.* /dev/tty12

this may be different in Redhat, I use Mandriva.

see how you go, regards Glenn

This in REDHAT

Code:

# Log all kernel messages to the console.
# Logging much else clutters up the screen.
#kern.*                                                 /dev/console

# Log anything (except mail) of level info or higher.
# Don't log private authentication messages!
*.info;mail.none;authpriv.none;cron.none                /var/log/messages

# The authpriv file has restricted access.
authpriv.*                                              /var/log/secure

# Log all the mail messages in one place.
mail.*                                                  -/var/log/maillog


# Log cron stuff
cron.*                                                  /var/log/cron

# Everybody gets emergency messages
*.emerg                                                 *

# Save news errors of level crit and higher in a special file.
uucp,news.crit                                          /var/log/spooler

# Save boot messages also to boot.log
local7.*                                                /var/log/boot.log

Actually it was working last time,but this time I think something happens,but not visible to me...

GlennsPref · 06-17-2009, 12:40 AM

What else is there in /var/log/*

ls -la /var/log/

You might have to read the readme for those ftp programs to see what else you may need to do.

Look in /usr/share/docs/ to see if there is any extra documentation.

The mention of "messages" in the error you described before may not mean /var/log/messages. It may be look for messages about the install errors.

You may need to go back and install it again to capture the error message, and quote it here to progress further.

Could Kirukan (post#5) be right, maybe the files you need are in a ftp dir in /var/log/...

Regards Glenn

chrism01 · 06-17-2009, 01:45 AM

Unless you've changed the cfg, I believe the default is /var/log/xferlog

micxz · 06-17-2009, 02:16 AM

Is syslog even running?

ps waux | grep syslog

divyashree · 06-18-2009, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrism01

Unless you've changed the cfg, I believe the default is /var/log/xferlog

Bro chrism,plz check the vsftp conf file,the /var/log/xferlog file is only for transaction issuse(downloads and uploads)....not for error logs like selinux logs while setting up the server,etc..

divyashree · 06-18-2009, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by micxz

Is syslog even running?

ps waux | grep syslog

YA syslog is running

Code:

# ps -ax | grep syslog

 2072 ?        Ss     0:00 syslogd -m 0
 5068 pts/4    R+     0:00 grep syslog

micxz · 06-18-2009, 12:46 PM

I would try to add

Code:

*.*;

as in:

Code:

*.*;*.info;mail.none;authpriv.none;cron.none                /var/log/messages

and maybe restart syslog