Topic: error: bad line 21 in state file /var/lib/logrotat

[Glenn Mason]

Hi,

I've got my E-Smith mail server up and running with about 70 users and it's working well.

However, I get this message in my mail every morning and I don't know how to fix it. I am a complete novice when it comes to Linux and I don't even know how to edit a text file.

Any advice would be gratefully received

Error Message:

Subject: Cron run-parts /etc/cron.daily
X-Cron-Env:
X-Cron-Env:
X-Cron-Env:
X-Cron-Env:
X-Cron-Env:

error: bad line 21 in state file /var/lib/logrotate.status

[Damien Curtain]

What may have happened is that at some point your clock has been set incorrectly when a logrotate has been run, or another error of some sort. The file /var/lib/logrotate.status keeps a record of when files have been rotated by logrotate. Have a look at what line 21 is in the file,
eg. cat -n /var/lib/logrotate.status | grep ' 21'
and if its inconsequential try removing that line, else tweak the dates if that was the problem, might not be though.

And then theres the quick way
eg. rm -f /var/lib/logrotate ;logrotate -f /etc/logrotate.conf

--
 Damien

[Charlie Brady]

Glenn Mason wrote:

> I've got my E-Smith mail server up and running with about 70
> users and it's working well.
>
> However, I get this message in my mail every morning and I
> don't know how to fix it.

If you haven't done so already, you should apply the 4.0.1 update. The usual cause of your symptom is a machine on your network with a space in its name, and this confuses the log file rotation program. Apply the upgrade, and the annoying email messages go away.

Regards

Charlie