tahr /var/log/syslog missing

[jerrylamos]

jerry@Aspire1:~$ ubuntu-bug linux
tail: cannot open ‘/var/log/syslog’ for reading: No such file or directory

Took a look, there is no syslog. In spite of all this on the screen ubuntu-bug does work:

jerry@Aspire1:~$ jerry@Aspire1:~$ ubuntu-bug linux
jerry@Aspire1:~$: command not found
jerry@Aspire1:~$ tail: cannot open ‘/var/log/syslog’ for reading: No such file or directory
No command 'tail:' found, did you mean:
 Command 'tailf' from package 'util-linux' (main)
 Command 'tail' from package 'coreutils' (main)
tail:: command not found
jerry@Aspire1:~$ jerry@Aspire1:~$
jerry@Aspire1:~$: command not found
jerry@Aspire1:~$ (process:3240): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_slice_set_config: assertion 'sys_page_size == 0' failed
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `:'
jerry@Aspire1:~$ NOTE: child process received `Goodbye', closing down

Not much in /var/log:

jerry@Aspire1:~$ ls /var/log
boot.log dmesg gpu-manager.log pm-powersave.log udev
cups dmesg.0 lightdm samba Xorg.0.log

Thanks.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.13.0-17-generic 3.13.0-17.37
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-17.37-generic 3.13.6
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-17-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.13.3-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: jerry 1592 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Wed Mar 12 08:22:29 2014
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=fb4f0b36-eec7-43a5-9265-4ecd90a404b5
MachineType: Acer AOD255E
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-17-generic root=UUID=8e7eecfe-38ae-4bab-bd87-4bfe44a51904 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-17-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-17-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.126
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
WifiSyslog:

dmi.bios.date: 12/16/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: Acer
dmi.bios.version: V3.12(DDR3)
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: JE02_PT
dmi.board.vendor: Acer
dmi.board.version: V3.12(DDR3)
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Acer
dmi.chassis.version: V3.12(DDR3)
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAcer:bvrV3.12(DDR3):bd12/16/2010:svnAcer:pnAOD255E:pvrV3.12(DDR3):rvnAcer:rnJE02_PT:rvrV3.12(DDR3):cvnAcer:ct10:cvrV3.12(DDR3):
dmi.product.name: AOD255E
dmi.product.version: V3.12(DDR3)
dmi.sys.vendor: Acer

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[jerrylamos (jerrylamos)]

Updated as of today, 12 March, rebooted, still no syslog. Not much in /var/log:

jerry@Aspire1:~$ ls /var/log
boot.log dmesg gpu-manager.log pm-powersave.log udev
cups dmesg.0 lightdm samba Xorg.0.log

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Can you run the following to confirm syslog is running:

sudo service rsyslog status

[Apanovich Stanislav (iubox)]

Confirm same bug, 14.04:

sudo service rsyslog status
rsyslog start/running, process 827

ls -la /var/log/syslog
ls: cannot access /var/log/syslog: No such file or directory

[Colsta (colsta)]

Same bug seen here 14.04:

colsta@ZBOX:~$ sudo service rsyslog status
rsyslog start/running, process 473
colsta@ZBOX:~$ ls -al /var/log/syslog
ls: cannot access /var/log/syslog: No such file or directory

[James Qiang (shijialee)]

I just installed a fresh 14.04 and had the same problem. After comparing it with another working host, I found the difference in the /var/log directory ownership and permission

on working host:

% ls -ld /var/log/
drwxrwxr-x 14 root syslog 4096 Jul 8 06:25 /var/log/

on the problem host:

% ls -ld /var/log/
drwxr-xr-x 7 root root 4096 Jul 9 01:40 /var/log/

/etc/rsyslog.conf writes file with syslog user and adm group but the /var/log dir is not writable.

It's working ok after I have fix the ownership/permission problem.