With Mac OS X can the system.log files be safely deleted?

Question

With Mac OS X can the system.log files be safely deleted?

I just did a search of my HD using OmniDiskSweeper, and there's a file called system.log that's 8GB

The path is /private/var/log/system.log Can this file be deleted without any bad effects? Wouldn't the system just create a new one when needed? I opened the file in Console, looked at some of it, and as far as I can tell I would think it's okay to delete, but I'd like to be sure before I do it. Thanks!

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.5), 2GB RAM, 160 HD

Posted on Nov 6, 2008 11:22 AM

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Answer 1

Niel

Level 10

741,623 points

Jan 18, 2011 12:53 PM in response to Elisa Pacelli

Can this file be deleted without any bad effects?

Yes.

(37516)

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Answer 2

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Jan 18, 2011 12:53 PM in response to Elisa Pacelli

that file can be safely deleted but the system periodically recycles that file anyway so you shouldn't have to do it by hand. the fact that yours has grown so large indicates that you have a runaway process of some sort that's clogging up the log file. take a look at the system log in Console and see what's going on there. otherwise the log is likely to grow large again.

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Answer 3

Jan 18, 2011 12:53 PM in response to V.K.

I also just found a new file was created-- /private/var/tmp/tmp.1.UhmvZp after I looked in the console and had to force quit. That one is 3.3GB. Any of these files can be deleted? I know not to delete the sleepimage file, which just created another 1GB swapfile and is up to 4GB.
In September I brought my Macbook to an Apple genius because I was loosing so much HD space without downloading or installing anything. He told me to reinstall the OS and it did help recover some space. Now I know where that HD space is going!

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Answer 4

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Jan 18, 2011 12:53 PM in response to Elisa Pacelli

this file can be deleted but as I said, you shouldn't have to do it by hand.
all the files in /var/tmp are deleted automatically by whatever made them once they are not needed.

find out what's causing the problem. otherwise you'll be deleting these files all the time.

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Answer 5

Jan 18, 2011 12:54 PM in response to V.K.

thank you!

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