Re: can't lock /var/run/crond.pid?
On Tue, 3 Jun 2003 16:11:12 -0700
"kevin" <kevin@robertsesq.com> wrote:
>
> How do I fix this can't lock /var/run/crond.pid
Well, one way that you don't fix it is by sending the same question to
the list three times in less than 24 hours. Please give people who only
read the mailing list once a day, or once every few days, a chance to
actually *see* your message first; and give other people, who've seen
it but can't answer for some reason, a break by not asking them again
and again. I don't mean this as a flame, I promise; but you might want
to take the time to read:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
It's basically a guide to the etiquette of online tech support; it'll
help you get useful answers to your questions in the future.
As for your question, cron creates that file when it starts. It
contains the process-ID of crond itself, in text. This is explained
in the first few entries returned in a Google search on "crond.pid".
(hint!)
You didn't say under what circumstances you got that error message
(which is usually a good idea, btw); so I'll assume it showed up
on your console or in your syslog. Your message typically means
that when cron started up, it tried to create that file, but was
unable to. Usually, this is because the file is already present:
either cron is already running (with the process ID contained in
that file); or cron didn't clean up after itself the last time it
quit, and left that file behind for some odd reason. If the former,
there's nothing to fix; you're getting the error message because
you're trying to run a second instance of cron, which you don't want
to do anyway. If the latter, you should be able to just remove it
by hand. All such files are cleaned out of /var/run automatically
during the boot process anyway.
-c
--
Chris Metzler cmetzler@speakeasy.snip-me.net
(remove "snip-me." to email)
"As a child I understood how to give; I have forgotten this grace since I
have become civilized." - Chief Luther Standing Bear
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