Topic: Multilog: fatal: unable to open directory /var/log/...

[PurpleLady66]

I need some serious help here. I know next to nothing about servers. My S/O is working out of town M - F, so I have his Linux server at my house hooked up to a router on my DSL. It started making clicking noises last night and the server was down. I rebooted, and got an error message saying to run fsck manually. I did that. On reboot got error message - Multilog: fatal: unable to open directory /var/log/... that just kept scrolling over and over.  I downloaded the newer SME 6.0.01, burned the ISO and updated the server installation. On reboot the server got further than before the update but still getting the same Multilog error.  Any ideas on what I can do? I'm trying to get this up and running so he can get the commercial accounts that he has on here moved to a host.

ANY help would be MOST appreciated.

Thanks in advance ... PurpleLady66

[smeghead]

Multilog cannot write to the service log files when it is invoking the services on boot so the boot sequence hangs/loops.

Boot into single user mode; 'ctrl x' at SME boot screen, followed by the tab key to display a list of boot kernels.  Type the name of one of the kernels exactly as display followed by a space and the word single.

Navigate to /var/log and then check the file permissions and ownership on the files and folders found there; I include a listing of my /var/log folder (with dross removed) for comparison (output from ls -la):

lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           23 May  8 01:12 boot.log -> boot.log.20050508011203
-rw-------    1 root     root          261 May  8 04:22 boot.log.20050508011203
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           19 May  8 01:12 cron -> cron.20050508011203
-rw-------    1 root     root       195746 May 13 00:55 cron.20050508011203
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root        13085 May  2 11:32 dmesg
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root        72595 May  2 11:32 ksyms.0
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1462336 May 13 00:54 lastlog
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           22 May  8 01:12 maillog -> maillog.20050508011203
-rw-------    1 root     root        94314 May 13 00:30 maillog.20050508011203
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           23 May  8 01:12 messages -> messages.20050508011203
-rw-------    1 root     root       172348 May 13 00:54 messages.20050508011203
-rw-r-----    1 mysql    mysql           0 May  8 04:06 mysqld.log
-rw-r--r--    1 root     admin        9791 Oct 22  2004 rpmlist.log
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root        14428 May 12 04:07 rpmpkgs
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           21 May  8 01:12 secure -> secure.20050508011203
-rw-------    1 root     root         6207 May 12 17:33 secure.20050508011203
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           22 May  8 01:12 spooler -> spooler.20050508011203
-rw-------    1 root     root            0 May  8 01:12 spooler.20050508011203
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root            0 May  2 11:33 sysmon
-rw-r--r--    1 root     admin        2930 Oct 22  2004 update-system.log
-rw-rw-r--    1 root     utmp        23040 May 13 00:54 wtmp
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root        18123 May 12 17:28 xferlog
-rw-------    1 root     root            0 May  8 04:06 yum.log

amavis-ng:
total 248
drwxr-xr-x    2 qmailq   qmail        4096 May  8 04:22 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-rw-rw-    1 root     root       166835 May 13 00:30 amavis-ng.log

clamav:
total 40
drwxr-xr-x    2 qmailq   qmail        4096 May  8 04:22 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-rw-rw-    1 root     root         6533 May 13 00:30 clamd.log
-rw-rw-rw-    1 qmailq   qmail           0 Feb 20 04:05 freshclam.log

cvm:
total 60
drwxr-x---    2 cvmlog   cvmlog       4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 cvmlog   cvmlog        956 May 11 22:27 current
-rw-------    1 cvmlog   cvmlog          0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 cvmlog   cvmlog          0 May  2 11:32 state

dansguardian:
total 8
drwxrwxrwx    2 nobody   nobody       4096 May  8 04:22 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 nobody   nobody          0 May  8 04:22 access.log

dhcpcd:
total 8
drwxr-s---    2 smelog   smelog       4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 smelog   smelog          0 May  2 11:32 current
-rw-------    1 smelog   smelog          0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 smelog   smelog          0 May  2 11:32 state

dhcpd:
total 512
drwxr-s---    2 smelog   smelog       4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 smelog   smelog      43185 May 13 00:25 current
-rw-------    1 smelog   smelog          0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 smelog   smelog          0 May  2 11:32 state

dhcp-dns:
total 148
drwxr-sr-x    2 dnslog   dnslog       4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 dnslog   dnslog       9373 May 12 22:17 current
-rw-------    1 dnslog   dnslog          0 May  9  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 dnslog   dnslog          0 May  2 11:32 state

diald:
total 8
drwxr-xr-x    2 root     root         4096 Nov  5  2003 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..

dnscache:
total 44364
drwxr-sr-x    2 dnslog   dnslog       4096 May 13 00:35 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 dnslog   dnslog     293621 May 13 00:55 current
-rw-------    1 dnslog   dnslog          0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 dnslog   dnslog          0 May  2 11:32 state

flexbackup:
total 8
drwxr-xr-x    2 root     root         4096 Jun 20  2003 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..

httpd:
total 1480
drwxr-xr-x    2 root     root         4096 May 13 00:40 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           25 May  8 01:12 access_log -> access_log.20050508011200
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       205529 May 13 00:35 access_log.20050508011200
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           31 May  8 01:12 admin_access_log -> admin_access_log.20050508011201
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root            0 May  8 01:12 admin_access_log.20050508011201
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           30 May  8 01:12 admin_error_log -> admin_error_log.20050508011201
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root          250 May  8 01:12 admin_error_log.20050508011201
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           35 May  8 01:12 admin_ssl_engine_log -> admin_ssl_engine_log.20050508011201
-rw-rw-rw-    1 root     admin          63 May 13 00:55 awstats_lr
-rw-rw-rw-    1 root     admin          75 May 13 00:40 awstats_pos
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           24 May  8 01:12 error_log -> error_log.20050508011200
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root         5325 May 12 21:38 error_log.20050508011200
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           29 May  8 01:12 ssl_engine_log -> ssl_engine_log.20050508011200
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root        71686 May 12 21:38 ssl_engine_log.20050508011200

imap:
total 536
drwxr-x---    2 imaplog  imaplog      4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 imaplog  imaplog     17930 May 11 22:27 current
-rw-------    1 imaplog  imaplog         0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 imaplog  imaplog         0 May  2 11:32 state

iptraf:
total 8
drwx------    2 root     root         4096 Feb 22  2002 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..

nmbd:
total 112
drwxr-s---    2 qmaill   nofiles      4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 root     nofiles      2512 May  2 11:33 current
-rw-------    1 root     nofiles         0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 root     nofiles         0 May  2 11:32 state

popd:
total 11872
drwxr-x---    2 smelog   smelog       4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 smelog   smelog     474830 May 13 00:45 current
-rw-------    1 smelog   smelog          0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 smelog   smelog          0 May  2 11:32 state

pppoe:
total 8
drwxr-s---    2 qmaill   nofiles      4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 qmaill   nofiles         0 May  2 11:32 current
-rw-------    1 qmaill   nofiles         0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 qmaill   nofiles         0 May  2 11:32 state

proftpd:
total 8
drwxr-x---    2 root     root         4096 Nov  4  2003 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..

qmail:
total 10628
drwxr-s---    2 qmaill   nofiles      4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 qmaill   nofiles    579459 May 13 00:30 current
-rw-------    1 qmaill   nofiles         0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 qmaill   nofiles         0 May  2 11:32 state

sa:
total 3788
drwxr-xr-x    2 root     root         4096 May 13 00:00 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       191461 May  5 23:50 sa05
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       191461 May  6 23:50 sa06
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       191461 May  7 23:50 sa07
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       191461 May  8 23:50 sa08
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       191461 May  9 23:50 sa09
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       191461 May 10 23:50 sa10
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       191461 May 11 23:50 sa11
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       191461 May 12 23:50 sa12
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root         8197 May 13 00:50 sa13
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       248615 May  4 23:53 sar04
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       248615 May  5 23:53 sar05
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       248615 May  6 23:53 sar06
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       248615 May  7 23:53 sar07
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       248615 May  8 23:53 sar08
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       248615 May  9 23:53 sar09
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       248615 May 10 23:53 sar10
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       248615 May 11 23:53 sar11
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       248615 May 12 23:53 sar12

samba:
total 8
drwx------    2 root     root         4096 Feb 15  2004 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..

smbd:
total 20
drwxr-s---    2 qmaill   nofiles      4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 root     nofiles       298 May  2 11:32 current
-rw-------    1 root     nofiles         0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 root     nofiles         0 May  2 11:32 state

smtp-auth-proxy:
total 20
drwxr-s---    2 smelog   nofiles      4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 smelog   nofiles       274 May  2 11:32 current
-rw-------    1 smelog   nofiles         0 Jun  5  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 smelog   nofiles         0 May  2 11:32 state

smtpfront-qmail:
total 6676
drwxr-s---    2 qmaill   nofiles      4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 qmaill   nofiles    369368 May 13 00:30 current
-rw-------    1 qmaill   nofiles         0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 qmaill   nofiles         0 May  2 11:32 state

squid:
total 19400
drwxr-x---    3 squid    squid        4096 May  8 04:06 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 squid    squid     4815463 May 13 00:55 access.log
-rw-r--r--    1 squid    squid        1699 May 12 04:17 cache.log
drwxr-x---    2 root     root         4096 May  1 00:10 monthly
-rw-r--r--    1 squid    squid     7280387 May 13 00:55 store.log

tinydns:
total 7248
drwxr-sr-x    2 dnslog   dnslog       4096 May  2 11:32 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 dnslog   dnslog     253768 May 13 00:54 current
-rw-------    1 dnslog   dnslog          0 Feb 15  2004 lock
-rw-r--r--    1 dnslog   dnslog          0 May  2 11:32 state

vbox:
total 8
drwxr-xr-x    2 root     root         4096 Apr  8  2002 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..

yum:
total 28
drwxr-xr-x    2 root     root         4096 May  4  2004 .
drwxr-xr-x   29 root     root         4096 May 13 00:55 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 root     admin        1057 May 12 04:08 yum-check-repository.log
-rw-rw-rw-    1 root     admin         248 May  4  2004 yum-install-available.log
-rw-rw-rw-    1 root     admin        7537 Jul 22  2004 yum-install-updates.log
-rw-r--r--    1 root     admin        2068 Jul 22  2004 yum.log

Use the chmod & chown commands to modify any that seem to be incorrect.  The /var/log folder itself should be set to root:root ownership and permissions of 755.

Run man chmod or man chown for info on how to use these commands

HTH

[jeroenm]

The clicking noise says me it's a hd failure.