Help required with Error Logs

[Manjunath Shastry]

I am interested to know the common error logs and their location on HP-UX.

[Ross Zubritski]

The A #1 file to monitor is /var/adm/syslog/syslog.log

Regards,

RZ

[Hai Nguyen_1]

the /var/adm/syslog/mail.log is worth paying attetion to as well.

After a system reboot, you can check /etc/rc.log for any initilization problem.

Hai

[Stuart Abramson_2 · Accepted solution]

Here is every log I have ever looked at. Some are more useful than others. Some are for scpecific purposes:

1. Useful log files

/etc/rc.log
/etc/rc.log.old
/etc/shutdownlog
/var/adm/OLDsulog
/var/adm/btmp (lastb)
/var/adm/cron/OLDlog
/var/adm/cron/log
/var/adm/lp/log
/var/adm/lp/oldlog
/var/adm/ptydaemonlog
/var/adm/rbootd.log
/var/adm/sulog
/var/adm/syslog/OLDsyslog.log
/var/adm/syslog/mail.log
/var/adm/syslog/syslog.log
/var/adm/vtdaemonlog
/var/adm/wtmp (last)
/var/opt/perf/status.* mwa/scope/perf logs
/var/tombstones/
ts99 Last HPMC !

2. Less useful log files:

/etc/eisa/config.err
/etc/eisa/config.log
/var/adm/OLDmessages
/var/adm/OLDrld.log
/var/adm/backuplog
/var/adm/btmp
/var/adm/lp/log.piftopcl
/var/adm/lp/lpana.log
/var/adm/lp/lpd.log
/var/adm/lp/lpdaemon.log
/var/adm/messages
/var/adm/msgbuf
/var/adm/rld.log
/var/adm/snmpd.log
/var/adm/spellhist
/var/adm/sw/swagent.log
/var/adm/sw/swagentd.log
/var/adm/sw/swconfig.log
/var/adm/sw/swcopy.log
/var/adm/sw/swinstall.log
/var/adm/sw/swpackage.log
/var/adm/sw/swremove.log
/var/adm/sw/swverify.log
/var/sam/log/br_log
/var/uucp/.Admin/DIALLOG
/var/uucp/.Admin/Foreign
/var/uucp/.Admin/audit
/var/uucp/.Admin/errors
/var/uucp/.Admin/uucleanup
/var/uucp/.Admin/xferstats
/var/uucp/.Log/LOGX25
/var/yp/ypserv.log
/var/yp/ypxfr.log

[Jeff Schussele]

Hi Manjunath,

Ok - here's some of the big hitters..

/etc/rc.log => startup log
/etc/shutdownlog
/var/adm/syslog/syslog.log => standard system log
/var/adm/cron/log => cron job log
/var/adm/lp/log => printer log
/var/adm/sulog => log of all su attempts
/var/adm/sw/sw*.log => SW installs/removes log
/var/adm/syslog/mail.log => SMTP mailer log

HTH,
Jeff

[Colin Topliss]

Depends what's defined on your system.

As per the previous answer, /var/adm/syslog/syslog.log is the mail one. If you want to see what else has been defined in terms of what gets logged and where, take a look at /etc/syslog.conf

You may find that mail messages are logged elsewhere, eg a line:

mail.debug /var/adm/syslog/mail.log

will write the mail debug messages to /var/adm/syslog/mail.log

Applications will most probably log to their own special areas - you'll need to check the application setup for that.

The boot log can be found in /etc/rc.log

Other logs (such as the shutdown log) can be found in /var/adm

Col

[Colin Topliss]

Oops - slight type there - line should have read:

As per the previous answer, /var/adm/syslog/syslog.log is the main one.

I just HATE spotting a mistake the second after I've submitted the answer....

Col.

[Ross Zubritski]

Colin,

Just FYI, the shutdownlog is in /etc.

Regards.

RZ

[Jean-Louis Phelix]

Hi,

Just for your information, if you use sam, then choose routine tasks, then system log files you will find a list of common log files, but you will also be able to trim to zero, to a recommended size, to a percentage, etc. You can also add your own log files. It can be useful ...

Regards.

[Colin Topliss]

Ross,

yep - the entry in /var/adm is a link back to /etc (at least on all of our 11i systems). Should have made that clear. Thanks :-)

[Manjunath Shastry]

Thank you for the help.

Regards,
Manjunath.