Tip: save "good" log files in case of trouble

[cmsps]

A few weeks ago I had a kerneloops and X would no longer run on my main box. I looked at /var/log/messages and /var/log/Xorg.0.log etc but the problem was I didn't know which errors were serious or which were new. I spent hours searching for info about ACPI conflicts and other things flagged up in /var/log/messages. I hoped that an update to something or other would restore my GUI but it didn't. I got by using my laptop to connect to the main box.

Recently, I happened to notice error messages about invalid ELF headers in /var/log/gdm/:0-greeter.log. I did a 'yum reinstall atk' and I was back in business.

It would all have been so easy if I had had "good" versions of the log files to compare against. I now have several files like Xorg.0.log.OK and messages.OK to refer to if anything so nasty happens again. Creating some on your boxes might save you the time I wasted!

Peter

[CSchwangler]

Your ideas are indeed good, but you should change the thread title to something more meaningful. That is certainly not meant as an offence, I just had problems to imagine what the content of this thread could be.

[cmsps]

Thanks CSchwangler. I've edited the title of my original post but don't know how to rename the thread. Perhaps a moderator can do that and delete this post

Peter

[glennzo]

I can edit it. What do you want it to say?

[bob]

I think I got it.

[glennzo]

What is the solution to the problem? What changes did you make so that files were saved?

[bob]

Well, the OP had changed the title of his post, which I assumed was what he wanted the Thread title to be. So, since we can edit thread titles, copy/paste and done!

[glennzo]

Originally Posted by bob

Well, the OP had changed the title of his post, which I assumed was what he wanted the Thread title to be. So, since we can edit thread titles, copy/paste and done!

No. That's not what I meant. How did he solve it his issue?

[cmsps]

Originally Posted by glennzo

No. That's not what I meant. How did he solve it his issue?

The issue was that there was so much stuff in the log files that I didn't know what was new or serious. It would have been easier if I had had some "good" log files to compare the "bad" ones with.

So, when everything is working well:

# cd /var/log
# cp messages messages.OK
# cp Xorg.0.log Xorg.0.log.OK
# cd gdm
# cp ...
  etc

Then, you are ready when big problems. arise.

[bob]

Ah! That...not a frikkin' idea. I just move 'em, not test 'em.

[giulix]

I prefer

su -c "tar zcf goodlogs.tgz /var/log"

It's easier...