Rebooting Linux machine at midnight everyday

[Hex_Rated]

Has someone got any ideas?

I need to automatically reboot a server everyday at midnight and it has do so before the login prompt (ie the computer boots and is left alone at the login prompt). The server is running a late version of RedHat. It has an application called KCron in Gnome which doesn't work. The command I'm trying to schedule for execution is /sbin/shutdown -r 23:59 but it doesn't run it, even if I'm logged in.

If I enter shutdown -r 23:59 manually in the terminal, it works. I have also tried to place this command in /etc/rc.d/rc.local without success. All my other programs run successfully called from rc.local, they run in the background before any user has logged on.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[IcePick88]

Try this:

http://www.lullsoft.com/

[Hex_Rated]

Linux, please. That's for Windows.

[UrBaN]

Hex I am no Linux fundie, but maybe it is failing to run as it doesn't have the credentials?

I'm thinking a Linux equivalent of "Run as..."

[Vampyre_2099]

and you can't make a shell script to run it?

Code: Select all

#! /bin/sh
shutdown -r 23:59

put that into a script, save script then make executable, then add that to the rc.local?

otherwise try use cronjob/crontab Wikipedia Cron

edit: As urban said, may be that only root can exec shutdown, so you need a way to exec the script as root

[Hex_Rated]

I'm running it as root but thanks for the ideas. I will try them.

[rustypup]

correct... anacron and "init 6", if you want to force the issue, else a simple shutdown script, (root owned)...

[Hex_Rated]

OK sorted. When I first tried to set it up I messed up the boot by putting shutdown -r 23:59 in rc.local without an & afterwards so the PC couldn't boot (without the & the shutdown will block continued execution).

Another guy "fixed" the rc.local file for me by booting with a USB drive and editing the file. Whatever he used to edit the file removed the execution rights on rc.local for all users which completely prevented rc.local from running at start up. Executing "chmod a+x rc.local" fixed the problem...

This is one of the reasons I would prefer to stay away from Linux. It would be fine if it wasn't for work and I was just messing around but this tiny, little problem cost me a few hours.

[Hex_Rated]

correct... anacron and "init 6", if you want to force the issue, else a simple shutdown script, (root owned)...

Thanks, I'll remember that for the future if I ever want to schedule something else.

[rustypup]

this tiny, little problem cost me a few hours.

ouch...

one of the reasons we don't run as root... bypassing these controls generally results in drama....

[SBSP]

correct... anacron and "init 6", if you want to force the issue, else a simple shutdown script, (root owned)...

Wont Init 6 shut it down as in switch off ?

When you use kcron. When are you running the schedule? cus you are already scheduling the shutdown command at 23:00
so cron runs the command at 23:00 and a second later you tell it to run at 23:00 so it will shut down only the next day.
Which it probably wont cus of the reboot.

Why not run the shutdown command at start up ?
so everytime it starts up it will issue the shutdown command for 23:00

[rustypup]

Wont Init 6 shut it down as in switch off ?

6 is reboot... unless red hat makes its own init rules in this regard....

and the real issue was someone had removed exec rights from the rc script... hence its being ignored at boot...

[RuadRauFlessa]

correct... anacron and "init 6", if you want to force the issue, else a simple shutdown script, (root owned)...

Wont Init 6 shut it down as in switch off ?

Nope that is init 0

[Kasyx]

This is one of the reasons I would prefer to stay away from Linux. It would be fine if it wasn't for work and I was just messing around but this tiny, little problem cost me a few hours.

Don't blame the Linux, it was doing exactly what you told it to

[Hex_Rated]

Don't blame the Linux, it was doing exactly what you told it to

Not really hey, editing a file shouldn't remove execution privileges.

[SBSP]

I never really understand the permission thing.


I once got permission denied errors so i ran a chmod 777 *.* -R in the root (On a production Spamfilter)
After the reboot nothing worked. I still dont know why , all i know it i wont do it again.

[Kasyx]

I once got permission denied errors so i ran a chmod 777 *.* -R in the root (On a production Spamfilter)
After the reboot nothing worked. I still dont know why , all i know it i wont do it again.

[rustypup]

editing a file shouldn't remove execution privileges.

the file wasn't edited... it was replaced, (by root - who is supposed to know what s/he's doing) - new documents in a *nix environment are created as non-executable by default, (for really obvious reasons).

@SBSP: that's the oldest joke in the book... if you really fell for it, you need to seek revenge on the individual who suggested it

[SBSP]

editing a file shouldn't remove execution privileges.

the file wasn't edited... it was replaced, (by root - who is supposed to know what s/he's doing) - new documents in a *nix environment are created as non-executable by default, (for really obvious reasons).

@SBSP: that's the oldest joke in the book... if you really fell for it, you need to seek revenge on the individual who suggested it

No one sugested it , like i said i got permission errors so i checked up on how to change permissions.
found that chmod 777 does this.

When i tried to install squid it kept telling me permission denied when i fix the problem i run the install again
it gave me permission denied errors on the next folder, kept fixing it for about 5 different directories.
So i got fed up and decided to do the whole drive.

[Hex_Rated]

editing a file shouldn't remove execution privileges.

the file wasn't edited... it was replaced, (by root - who is supposed to know what s/he's doing) - new documents in a *nix environment are created as non-executable by default, (for really obvious reasons).

I use Kate to edit files under normal circumstances and execution rights aren't removed. But yeah, I get what your saying. I'll give root a good kick up the a$$ next time he walks past my office.

@SBSP: that's the oldest joke in the book... if you really fell for it, you need to seek revenge on the individual who suggested it

Linux equivalent of delete system32 to make your PC faster.

[SBSP]

Linux equivalent of delete system32 to make your PC faster.

thanks now my PC is broken.

[Ryan_Cooper]

type crontab -e if you have it on your system and put in this line
23 00 * * * /sbin/init 0
and it should coz your machine to shutdown everyday at that time
i could have the exact command wrong though not quite sure if it doesnt work you could replace /sbin/init 0 with /sbin/shutdown -t now taht might work as well

[SBSP]

type crontab -e if you have it on your system and put in this line
23 00 * * * /sbin/init 0
and it should coz your machine to shutdown everyday at that time
i could have the exact command wrong though not quite sure if it doesnt work you could replace /sbin/init 0 with /sbin/shutdown -t now taht might work as well

I think the problem is sorted