64GB Windowserver_last.log?

[pdpfilms]

Eek! Aperture just informed me that i was running low on space. Indeed I was- 64 GB was being taken up by a log called windowserver_last.log.

After extensive searching the forums and using WhatSize, I was able to locate the file. I promptly put it in my trash, and emptied it just as recommended. This seems to work for most people, no problem. It's just a log file, right?

Well this one, when the trash is emptied, causes an immediate lock up and kernel panic. What? Why? I even tried renaming it, and duping the windowserver.log, renaming it as windowserver_last.log, and putting it in the right place. Nope, the computer still sees the original, and still gets angry when it's deleted. Anyone have any advice?

 

[WildCowboy]

Have a look at this thread and see if anything in there helps you. That's weird that it didn't like a simple delete...lots of people have had this same problem with that log file and been able to solve it just fine.

Good luck...

 

[pdpfilms]

Thanks for the link, though it didn't seem to help much. This file is a real pain in the buttocks now.

There is no way to hide it from the computer, no way to replace it. It says it hasn't been modified in the last three days, but sometimes when i attempt to delete it, it tells me its in use. I copied the same log from my pb into the correct folder, and it still references the one in the trash, or wherever i put it.

Unfortunately, I only have a BT keyboard and can't startup holding down T to delete the file via my pb, nor startup with the boot disk to repair permissions. Repiaring permissions within OSX didn't seem to do anything either. I'm totally stumped, unless someone can fill me in on how to startup in Target Disk mode without a USB keyboard.

 

[WildCowboy]

You weren't able to delete it from Terminal? What message did you get when you tried?

 

[pdpfilms]

Nothing happened... i entered in "sudo periodic daily weekly" and hit enter and it simply moved the cursor to the next line.

 

[WildCowboy]

Did you try to remove it using "sudo rm /var/log/windowserver_last.log"?

(Be sure you use these commands carefully, as you really don't want to accidentally delete the wrong thing.)

 

[pdpfilms]

Locked up my computer just as quickly as trashing the item.

And get this: I just started up the G5 using target disk mode and deleted the file with my pb... and it locked up my pb!! What is this file? Am I taking crazy pills?

EDIT: now it's telling me i can't delete it because it's in use. Is there any way to check what its being used by?

 

[appleguru1]

Bootup in single user mode (cmd-s at bootup), type the following:

/sbin/fsck -y (return)

when that's done checking the disk, type:

/sbin/mount -uw / (return)

then type:

/sbin/autodiskmount -va (return)

then, to repair permissions...

/usr/sbin/diskutil repairPermissions / (return)

and finally:

rm /var/log/windowserver_last.log

Should get you back up and running

 

[pdpfilms]

Bootup in single user mode (cmd-s at bootup), type the following:

/sbin/fsck -y (return)

when that's done checking the disk, type:

/sbin/mount -uw / (return)

then type:

/sbin/autodiskmount -va (return)

then, to repair permissions...

/usr/sbin/diskutil repairPermissions / (return)

and finally:

rm /var/log/windowserver_last.log

Should get you back up and running

I'l give that a shot today, after I get my hands on a USB keyboard.

 

[tweakers_suck]

When you type:

sudo periodic daily weekly monthly

it will take some time. The maintenance scripts are not immediate as they do take several minutes to complete. When done you will see the command line prompt in terminal.

I recommend you try again and be a little more patient.

 

[pdpfilms]

When you type:

sudo periodic daily weekly monthly

it will take some time. The maintenance scripts are not immediate as they do take several minutes to complete. When done you will see the command line prompt in terminal.

I recommend you try again and be a little more patient.

Yeah, tried it multiple times. Each time I could hear the hard drive spinning up, and then ten minutes later or so, the command line prompt appeared, and the log was left untouched. By "nothing happened" I meant the log remained unchanged.

Trying the above recommendation with my new USB keyboard...

EDIT: Crap. So when I get into single user mode, I can't use my keyboard... I can't enter anything.
EDIT2: More crap. Now the computer won't startup with the install disk, freezes my pb when i attempt to access it via target disk mode, and won't boot into OSX. Is my HDD dead? I hear it spinning, it sounds fine. Luckily most of that stuff is backed up, but still- I don't want to have to clear it if I can avoid it. Oh wait- I can't clear it, there's no way to. It won't boot, and it freezes anything that is connected to it. Any advice? I'm thinking about getting applecare on the line.

 

[pdpfilms]

Bootup in single user mode (cmd-s at bootup), type the following:

/sbin/fsck -y (return)

when that's done checking the disk, type:

/sbin/mount -uw / (return)

then type:

/sbin/autodiskmount -va (return)

then, to repair permissions...

/usr/sbin/diskutil repairPermissions / (return)

and finally:

rm /var/log/windowserver_last.log

Should get you back up and running

OK, may be making some progress...

So i can get into single user mode, jsut fine. I can now also type in it as well. I can perform /sbin/fsck -fy just fine. In fact, it tells me "The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK."

But when i try /sbin/mount -uw /, I get a bunch of text, ending with:
"Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.7.0: Fri May 26 15:20:58 PDT 2006; root:xnu-792.6.76.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC
panic: We are hanging here..."

And then I can enter no more commands. Any ideas what this means/ if there are any solutions?

 

[trainguy77]

what happens when you enter "last" in the terminal?

 

[savar]

OK, may be making some progress...

So i can get into single user mode, jsut fine. I can now also type in it as well. I can perform /sbin/fsck -fy just fine. In fact, it tells me "The volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK."

But when i try /sbin/mount -uw /, I get a bunch of text, ending with:
"Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.7.0: Fri May 26 15:20:58 PDT 2006; root:xnu-792.6.76.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC
panic: We are hanging here..."

And then I can enter no more commands. Any ideas what this means/ if there are any solutions?

This is a really interesting problem. Given that it crashes any computer which tries to read it, I'm guessing something about the format or size of this file is crashing the File I/O services code that is trying to delete it. See if any other commands cause the same problem. E.g.

head -10 /var/log/windowserver_last.log
tail -10 /var/log/windowserver_last.log
echo "testing" >> /var/log/windowserver.log

These three commands read 1) the first ten lines of the file, 2) the last ten lines of the file, and 3) adds the word "testing" to the end of the file. You may need to prefix "sudo" in front of "echo" depending on what user you're logged in as.

If the above commands work, then there may be a sneaky way of removing this file. Try the following:

echo "testing" > /var/log/windowserver.log

This command will overwrite the contents of the log with the word "testing". Again, use "sudo" if necessary. If nothing works, try

ls -l /var/log
df -m /

and send us the results.

After you renamed the file, what happened? Did it create a new file with the original name? Did the copy you made change in size?

 

[pdpfilms]

Oddly enough, I left the computer kernel panic'ed when attempting to boot off the DiskWarrior CD. And the kernel panic passed... as if it never happened. I loaded up Diskwarrior, it recognized the drive, rebuilt the directory, and poof. It was usable enough to copy files off of.

So I'm bringing it in to be replaced. Sorry I couldn't perform your tests... certainly would've if the drive was still FUBAR.