ado@elsie.UUCP (Arthur David Olson) (01/08/85)
Index: /usr/adm/m* [4.?bsd] Description: If "/etc/dmesg" is run by "cron" and the file "/usr/adm/msgbuf" is missing, the file "/usr/adm/messages" grows rapidly (and erroneously). Repeat-by: Removing "/usr/adm/msgbuf" and waiting a day. (Note well: I advise taking my word for it rather than doing this.) Diagnosis: "/etc/dmesg" fails to check to see if "/usr/adm/msgbuf" exists. Fix: The real fix is to correct "/etc/dmesg". Here's the universal fix, though--one that can be applied even if you have a binary- only license. If your "/usr/lib/crontab" file has a line like 0,10,20,30,40,50 * * * * /etc/dmesg - >>/usr/adm/messages then add a line like 8,18,28,38,48,58 * * * * touch /usr/adm/msgbuf You can schedule the "touch" command less frequently if you like, at the cost of some spurious output in "/usr/adm/messages" if "msgbuf" ever disappears. -- ..decvax!seismo!elsie!ado (country code 1)(301) 496-5688 DEC, VAX and Elsie are Digital Equipment and Borden trademarks