Wierd files in the / directory

bcarl314 · 10-15-2004, 12:25 PM

I've started noticing some strange files in my / directory and was wondering if anyone know what they were.

The files are named "core.xxxx" where xxxx is, what appeared to be random numbers. They are about 8.8 MB is size and all are exactly the same size with root.root as owner.

Anybody ever run into this before? I've checked google and this board to no avail.

Thanks

druuna · 10-15-2004, 12:40 PM

Looks like (multiple) core files. They can be created by crashing programs.

Did you have any problems lately with certain programs? Or are there strange messages during boot?

Also take a look at your logfile (/var/spool/messages), there might be a clue there.

In general you can delete these (unless you are a programmer and want to use it for debugging).

Hope this helps a bit.

Lakota · 10-15-2004, 04:03 PM

I chuckled when I saw your post, only because that was how I originally found this message board. I had tired of Windows viruses and worms, then what the hell in Linux I'm getting bombs? Here is a link to my first post here: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=100806

It will only confirm what Druuna has said, nothing new. I haven't seen them since the first few months when I first switched to Linux.

opjose · 10-16-2004, 02:40 AM

Yup it's a program which crashed while you were logged in as ROOT.

It didn't take out Linux itself, but it left you a present.

You can prevent Linux from making any coredumps.

Man ulimit

and look for ulimit in /etc/bash_profile (or something like this) and set the ulimit for root the same as it is for normal users.