/var/log/messages and secure not updating

Linux and Unix-Like Red Hat
1

Hello all,

I recently deleted some lines from the messages and secure files, in /var/log and now they are not keeping a log anymore. The last update shows the date of when I deleted the lines.

I had to delete some failed login attempts to stop denyhosts from blocking the ips (probably not the best way to do it).

I'm using Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS release 4 (Nahant Update 4).

Could somebody help me to get this fixed?

Thanks,

D

2

My initial thought is to check the permissions? Did you edit the files as root? Does root write to those files, or is it another user? This could be the problem.

3

Hey indiana tas, thanks for the reply. I edited the files as root and root writes to these files. I think the problem might have been because I was editing the file at the same time the syslogd was trying to write to them.

I restarted the syslogd and messages and secure are being updated again, phew!

4

Makes sense. Glad things worked out.