> Source: [sk115023](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk115023)

# sk115023 - Not able to view latest logs in <code>/var/log/messages</code> file

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk115023 |
| Date Created | 2016-12-15 |
| Last Modified | 2020-07-21 |
| Technical Level | General |
| Products | Security Gateway, Security Management Server |
| Versions | R82.10, R82, R81.20, R82.10, R82, R81.20, R82.20 |
| OS | Gaia |

## Symptoms

- * Viewing messages file using the command `cat /var/log/messages` gives the following error after showing some old messages:

  ```
  cat: messages: Input/output error
  ```

* `df -kh` shows no partition is full.
* `cpstop/cpstart` or reboot does not fix the problem.
* Following [sk92442](https://supportcenter.checkpoint.com/supportcenter/portal?eventSubmit_doGoviewsolutiondetails=&solutionid=sk92442) to fix any file system error does not fix the problem.

## Cause

*/var/log/messages* file is corrupted and needs to be recreated.

## Solution

Follow this procedure to recreate */var/log/messages* file:

1. From expert shell go to */var/log* directory:  
   ***# cd /var/log***
2. Make a backup copy of the messages file and then remove the original copy  
   ***# cp messages messages_backup***   
   ***# rm messages***
3. Restart syslog service. This will automatically recreate new messages file.  
   ***# service syslog restart***

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