[CLUE-Tech] crontab not working

[Randy Arabie]

On 25 Sep 2002, Ski Dawg wrote:

> I am having a problem with my crontab file. I loaded Red Hat 7.3 on a
> new computer (clean install). I then did a crontab -e and added the
> following line:
> 
> */5 * * * * /home/skidawg/bin/sigscript.sh
> 
> The problem is that this is not being executed. This same notation has
> worked correctly on other Red Hat 7.3 boxes that I have tried it on. I
> have also tried using
> 
> * * * * * /home/skidawg/bin/sigscript.sh
> 
> (just to make sure) but that doesn't make a difference. If I just type
> /home/skidawg/bin/sigscript.sh at the command line, the script executes
> as expected.
> 
> I have checked and the cron daemon is running (in run levels 3,4,and 5).
> There are also some things the system automatically installed and set up
> being run correctly from cron.
> 
> I check the cron logs in /var/log and there is no mention of my script
> even being called (no errors or success stories). It does show in the
> logs when I have edited the crontab file but no errors were shown. The
> logs show some system things being run (like cron.daily and cron.hourly)
> but not my script.
> 
> I have searched google and google groups to no avail. I have found
> others with similar problems, but I haven't found a fix yet that works.
> 
> I am pretty sure it has nothing to do with my script. I have
> successfully run this exact same script (through cron and command line)
> on a different Red Hat 7.3 machine and it worked correctly.
> 
> Any help on this problem would be appreciated.

Make sure your version of cron has not implemented a "cron.allow" or something
similar in /etc/.  I use Gentoo Linux, and users cannot use cron unless listed
(one user/line) in an /etc/cron.allow file.

The cron manpage should mention this, probably at the end, and there should be 
a reference to files in the "see also" section.

HTH
-- 
Allons Rouler!
        
Randy