Questions tagged [log]

A log is a record of events during a particular time range. Questions about interpreting logs on Ubuntu or controlling logging.

Logs on an Ubuntu system include:

  • Logs from the Linux kernel and system services like , stored in /var/log. These can also be accessed using the command. See .
  • Server logs, automatically created and maintained by a computer of activity performed by it. These can include or access logs. For questions about monitoring these logs, especially on servers, see or .

This tag is for questions about how to interpret the logs on an Ubuntu system, or controlling what and how should take place. (See also .)

748 questions
108
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Where are all the major log files located?

So, if there is some problem with my computer, be it hardware or software, what are the major log files and where are they located? Also, is there a generic location where log files of the other packages might be located?
green
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24
votes
6 answers

When an application crash without output an error, is there a log that i can check?

Sometimes it happen that some application crash without give no output error (conky in my case, probably is one of my configuration that is incorrect). Is there somewhere a error log that I can check to understand why it is crashed?
Strae
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6
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2 answers

How does one view system changes comparing before and after an application installation?

I would like to see a diff. of my Ubuntu system - including all new directories, files, and file changes - comparing the state before vs. after an application installation. How would I do that? Thanks.
5
votes
1 answer

Can I delete log files?

I put my program in startup applications because of this. The directory /var/log is taking around 36 GB space. Can I delete syslog and syslog.1 file which are taking the highest percentage of storage in /var/log directory?
5
votes
1 answer

How to know what an application was doing in background?

I want to know what an application was doing in background. Are there any monitoring logs or any recorded history of what any application was doing in background? I'm talking about any regular application, not a system service or process.
4
votes
1 answer

Text/Log Viewer that that will allow filtering by words/phrases?

I'm looking for a GUI-based text/log viewer that will allow to only display lines that contain particular phrases/words/characters. The logs may not necessarily by OS related but from 3rd party applications.
Kendor
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4
votes
2 answers

My computer rebooted while I was asleep -- how do I find out what happened?

Some mornings I wake up to find that my computer has rebooted for reasons unknown to me. I've tried looking in various files in Log File Viewer, but none seems to provide any clues. What can I do to investigate what's going on? edit: This is not a…
Jay
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4
votes
3 answers

Why does Ubuntu create the file /var/log/boot?

Why does Ubuntu 10.04.4 and 11.10 create the file /var/log/boot and does not fill it except with the text: "(Nothing has been logged yet.)"?
user43816
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4
votes
0 answers

Ubuntu 18.04 /var/log/journal occupy large space. When i delete it, it comes back in minutes

I use ubuntu 18.04. My root folder is almost full. I find that the /var/log/journal occupies large space. When I delete the file, it comes back in a few minutes and the file size comes back to hundreds MB. The output of the ls is like this: …
li Kaiqiang
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3
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2 answers

How can I keep more auth.log files?

I'd like to keep more than the default 5 log files at /var/log/auth.log. What do I need to change to keep x number of them?
aswine
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3
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"mei_me 0000:00:16.0: no destination client found 0x00002285" spamming logfile, fix?

ubuntu 14.04 desktop install. Have fully up to date security and regular updates. syslog file gets spammed with thousands of this entry: kernel: [15863.834330] mei_me 0000:00:16.0: no destination client found 0x00002285 kernel: [15863.834330] mei_me…
user308393
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3
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0 answers

Kernel Code in System Logs

See that in system logs: Jul 23 16:31:17 superlinux1 kernel: [ 1419.790327] show_signal_msg: 24 callbacks suppressed Jul 23 16:31:17 superlinux1 kernel: [ 1419.790329] psi-plus[5414]: segfault at 10 ip 0000559788fa3308 sp 00007ffebeba3970 error 4 in…
2
votes
1 answer

how to customize logs?

As you know better than me any action in linux store in log files, like /var/log, I was wondering is there anyway to customize the log file in linux, for example in this case I'm the root of my system, and I don't want to log root's actions, but the…
Freeman
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2
votes
2 answers

Is it possible to make ubuntu logless

Can I disable the logging features for any app running under Ubuntu? I want to make my system totally logless is it possible?
2
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3 answers

How do I save error message from console?

My laptop crashes (which is another question) and when it does so it swiches to a text console and outputs an error which is too long to type (like this). I can't do anything with it other than sometimes restart X (otherwise restart the computer)…
Azendale
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