My console.log file is 27GIGS!! What is this and can I delete it?

[amberashby]

I just noticed that my HD space was far less than it had been. After a search I discovered that my console.log file was 27gigs. What is this and why is it so big? I have been using iMovie and iDVD a lot recently so this may have something to do with it.

I tried deleting it, but it won't let me because it says it is in use.

Thanks everyone.

[Colonel Panik]

Interesting. Do you have MacJanitor (http://personalpages.tds.net/~brian_hill/macjanitor.html)? If you do, give it a whirl and see if it deals with the log file. But 27GB is just not right.

[blaster_boy]

Otherwise install Onyx - this'll do the same trick as macjanitor (running your maintenance scripts) but has other options as well.

http://www.boostware.com/os/mac/onyx.html

[OutThere]

Do you have FileVault on? I remember I had some problems with disk space when I had that on, and I only got it back when I logged out and let it "reclaim unused disk space".

[amberashby]

Just ran MacJanitor on all task, but it did not work. :-(
I will try Onyx now.
I have never had File Vault tuned on.

[tomf87]

You can zero out the log file. Open Terminal and do:

cd /Library/Logs/Console/<username>

where <username> is your username

Now type:

> console.log

That will zero it out for you. However, if it keeps getting really large, you might want to do a tail on it to see what is going on:

tail console.log

Or to keep monitoring it:

tail -f console.log

[abhishekit]

if you want a gui, just open console, under utilities..you can clean up the entries there,,,infact you can clean up system log, and other logs too..
cheers

[amberashby]

You can zero out the log file. Open Terminal and do:

cd /Library/Logs/Console/<username>

where <username> is your username

Now type:

> console.log

That will zero it out for you. However, if it keeps getting really large, you might want to do a tail on it to see what is going on:

tail console.log

Or to keep monitoring it:

tail -f console.log

This worked. Thanks. I'm not sure what caused this, but I bet it had something to do with iMovie or iDVD.

[SpaceMagic]

27GB! Some people's HDs aren't that big! You should have read some of it to see what WAS adding to the file. As a side note to all who read, what is the console.log file for?

[stoid]

27GB! Some people's HDs aren't that big! You should have read some of it to see what WAS adding to the file. As a side note to all who read, what is the console.log file for?

I believe the console keeps a computer log that is very useful when reporting bugs so that the developer can get a more accurate picture of what went wrong.

[abhishekit]

27GB! Some people's HDs aren't that big! You should have read some of it to see what WAS adding to the file. As a side note to all who read, what is the console.log file for?
mainly it consists of error messages and warnings..though now most of it is in system log..just open console
applications-utilities-console...
you can see the entries yourself..