Als file problem solved, but how to stop it happenig again?

M

Mac-Andy

Registered
Hi there.

I came around this site, as I was searching for a way to get rid of those bloody log-als files, which were filling my computer. Thanks to these threads:http://macosx.com/forums/mac-os-x-system-mac-software/307749-log-files-piling-up.html + http://macosx.com/forums/mac-os-x-system-mac-software/305605-hard-drive-full-but-not-full.html I managed to ged rid of those f***rs. I deleted 30 Gb of those nasty bugers.:)

Anyhow, according to LogView, most of those files were created by Kernel, Security and Conficd. What shoud I do to stop them piling up again? What are these files actually?
I also have this als file called StoreData. It was actully the oldest file of them all. I did not delete it, as I was not sure what it was. Maybe this file caused the pileup?
I also noticed some talk about rotation and about some certain time for computer to be on, for it to remove the log-als files automatically. How about this?
Or, should I just continue to remove them regularly with the OmniDiskSweeper?
(My software is OSX 10.5.8)

Before this I actually had no glue about some log or als files. Now I know they have something to do with memory or fast processing...something:confused:.
I have been a Mac user for three years now and would not go back to Windows, but this files piling up thing woke me up to realize, that also Mac has some issues.
I tought the Mac would take care of itself.:o

If you can help, thank you.

Edit: Ok, I maybe could have put my guestion on the bottom of the older threads. I guess I still can, if that is more appropriate?
 
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Hi Andy,

The logs (system, kernel etc) rotate and (not all) aren't stored forever.
They are simply log files, telling what happened - good for troubleshooting and auditing the system etc.

Ideally if the Mac is running 24 7 the system will do some maintenance on the specified hours - but as most Macs aren't on 24 7 some utility can be used to do this, and to change hours if desired.
I'd recommend OnyX http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/11582/onyx - take the version for 10.5. You can clean the logs, and set the hours for cleaning as you prefer, and run the periodic maintenance scripts with it.
 
Giaguara said:
You can clean the logs, and set the hours for cleaning as you prefer, and run the periodic maintenance scripts with it.
Click to expand...

If by "set the hours for cleaning" do you mean I can schedule Onyx to do regular tasks automatically?
If this is true it is something I've been missing and still cannot find in Onyx.
I know Onyx has an Automation section, but up till now at least, I've had to run Onyx-goto Automation-and manually click "Execute" to run the tasks I've selected.
 
Giaguara said:
Hi Andy,

The logs (system, kernel etc) rotate and (not all) aren't stored forever.
They are simply log files, telling what happened - good for troubleshooting and auditing the system etc.

Ideally if the Mac is running 24 7 the system will do some maintenance on the specified hours - but as most Macs aren't on 24 7 some utility can be used to do this, and to change hours if desired.
I'd recommend OnyX http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/11582/onyx - take the version for 10.5. You can clean the logs, and set the hours for cleaning as you prefer, and run the periodic maintenance scripts with it.
Click to expand...

Ok, that is good to know, thanks.

I wonder if you can set the Mac to clean the logs at certain hours, instead of waiting for these mysterious times when it perhaps cleans itself?
I tried the Onyx, but it did not clean the logs when I used its "clean logs" fuction, so unfortunately I do not have much faith in it.

If the OSX is supposed to clean the logs itself and not let them pile up, which seems reasonable to expect, how can I fix it to do this?
 
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The schedules are set in cron (a bit more of how it works) - OnyX gives a user interface to easier access these settings.
Not all logs will be cleaned by the maintenance by either OnyX or cron initiated scripts - for instance the system update log will stay.

Usually the logs don't grow too huge. If the logs are taking GBs of space, then it'll be worth investigating what's happening there. If that's the case, can you post some snippets of the most verbose entries in the logs?
 
Yes, thanks, I looked into the cron thing, but it looks like complicated:confused:, so I have to spend more time looking into it.

It seems now that the als files have not started to pileup again, at least for now. I tried to copy the list of logs here, but had no success. Anyhow, most of the logs that I deleted earlier were created by Kernel. I also still have this "StoreData" log in my asl folder. I worder what that is? It does sound suspicious anyway.

So it looks like the pileup was caused by unsuccesfull log-cleaning by the OSX, but it could be due to error files/bugs as well. Any thoughts?
 
asl in 10.6 is just system log. It could be configured to be less verbose but of more use would be finding out what apps are misbehaving and flooding it.
You don't need to paste ALL logs of it - keep Console (/Applications/Utilities) open in background, hidden, and occasionally have a look if it seems to have a lot of data recently logged in there. In that case, copy paste a small snipped of that part (10-50 lines should do) and those lines should tell a bit more about what's happening in there.
 
Ok, I have not used the console before, but it seems to provide lots of info of something.
There seems to be a recurring "open file error" message

Well, here is a take:
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Read:
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] ^SYSINFO:2,3,0,5,1,,5
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] OK
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] ********
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] open file error
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] open file error
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] ********
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Write: AT+CSQ
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] open file error
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] open file error
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] written: AT+CSQ
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] , size: 8
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Read:
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] +CSQ: 18,99
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] OK
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] ********
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] open file error
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] open file error
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Command:
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] ^RSSI:18
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Network :5
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Last RSSI:18
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Curr RSSI:18
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Signal :5
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] status_bar_icon_singnal_5.PNG
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Read:
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] ^DSFLOWRPT:000009A8,000008D6,0001F42F,00000000004225C5,000000000B4B7734,0001F400,0001F400
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] ********
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] open file error
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] open file error
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] DSFLOWRPT Changed: ^DSFLOWRPT:000009A8,000008D6,0001F42F,00000000004225C5,000000000B4B7734,0001F400,0001F400
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Format Time,0,41,12
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] The Format string time 00:41:12
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] curr_ds_time:00:41:12
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Tx_Rate:2.2 KB/s
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] Rx_Rate:125.0 KB/s
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] totalTxflow:4.13 MB
18.3.2010 3.11.37 [...MobileConnect[142] totalRxflow:180.72 MB
 
MobileConnect is from the application and device you use to connect to the network, the app being called MobileConnect.
A Huawei usb dongle modem perhaps?

Check which version of MobileConnect you have currently installed. Perhaps there is a newer version that would log less, and/or some setting in that application that would log less. (I have the software installed on my 10.5 machine, as I used this at my sister's place to connect to the net... but I can't see the settings without the dongle)

Looks like there are others who get the same verbose logs problem with a Huawei modem http://forum.huawei.com/jive4/thread.jspa?threadID=323672
 
Yes, MobileConnect is for my internet access.
I do have the Huawei modem, so thanks for pointing out that issue and the link. I will look into this matter. I have not updated its data, so that could be an issue.

Thanks a lot for your help!
 
Np, glad to help. :)
At least we know the cause then, so cleaning that specific console log will help a bit.
Hopefully they will release a newer version of that software and/or have more options for the (less) verbosity of its logs.
 
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