Cron is trying (and failing) to open env file: /etc/environment





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I'm using Devuan ASCII (which is more or less Debian 9, Stretch). Now, my /var/log/auth.log has a bunch of these entries:



Jan  6 09:45:01 mybox CRON[20951]: pam_env(cron:session): Unable to open env file: /etc/environment: No such file or directory
Jan 6 09:45:01 mybox CRON[20951]: pam_unix(cron:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)


which apparently get generated when I su.




  1. Why is cron/pam_env/pam_unix trying to open that file in the first place, rather than checking whether it exists?

  2. If they legitimately expect it, why isn't it there?

  3. What should I do about this?










share|improve this question































    4















    I'm using Devuan ASCII (which is more or less Debian 9, Stretch). Now, my /var/log/auth.log has a bunch of these entries:



    Jan  6 09:45:01 mybox CRON[20951]: pam_env(cron:session): Unable to open env file: /etc/environment: No such file or directory
    Jan 6 09:45:01 mybox CRON[20951]: pam_unix(cron:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)


    which apparently get generated when I su.




    1. Why is cron/pam_env/pam_unix trying to open that file in the first place, rather than checking whether it exists?

    2. If they legitimately expect it, why isn't it there?

    3. What should I do about this?










    share|improve this question



























      4












      4








      4








      I'm using Devuan ASCII (which is more or less Debian 9, Stretch). Now, my /var/log/auth.log has a bunch of these entries:



      Jan  6 09:45:01 mybox CRON[20951]: pam_env(cron:session): Unable to open env file: /etc/environment: No such file or directory
      Jan 6 09:45:01 mybox CRON[20951]: pam_unix(cron:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)


      which apparently get generated when I su.




      1. Why is cron/pam_env/pam_unix trying to open that file in the first place, rather than checking whether it exists?

      2. If they legitimately expect it, why isn't it there?

      3. What should I do about this?










      share|improve this question
















      I'm using Devuan ASCII (which is more or less Debian 9, Stretch). Now, my /var/log/auth.log has a bunch of these entries:



      Jan  6 09:45:01 mybox CRON[20951]: pam_env(cron:session): Unable to open env file: /etc/environment: No such file or directory
      Jan 6 09:45:01 mybox CRON[20951]: pam_unix(cron:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)


      which apparently get generated when I su.




      1. Why is cron/pam_env/pam_unix trying to open that file in the first place, rather than checking whether it exists?

      2. If they legitimately expect it, why isn't it there?

      3. What should I do about this?







      debian cron environment-variables pam devuan






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited Jan 7 at 12:05







      einpoklum

















      asked Jan 7 at 11:17









      einpoklumeinpoklum

      2,22542454




      2,22542454






















          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          4














          Answering all of your questions





          1. Why is cron/pam_env/pam_unix trying to open that file in the first place?




          See BUG #646015. In some cases (like locale related stuff) this file is deprecated. But it is still used system-wide, and log is made whenever it is missing.





          1. If they legitimately expect it, why isn't it there?




          Cause maybe the bug isn't fixed after all. Steve Langasek (BUG #646015) said it is, and new systems should create that file using postinst scripts the same way old systems being upgraded should already have that file.





          1. What should I do about this?





          • Run dpkg-reconfigure libpam-modules and see if it will create the file through its postinst script.

          • If that does not work, create the file manually with touch /etc/environment


          It's also interesting to report your issue to the Devuan Project with details of the problem and your setup since this issue was resolved before the Debian/Devuan fork happened.






          share|improve this answer

































            3














            An inelegant but perfectly valid solution is to give those modules what they want: As root, execute



            touch /etc/environment


            and to make sure the permissions are right, just in case:



            chmod 644 /etc/environment





            share|improve this answer



















            • 2





              Note that this behavior is completely normal. The pam_env is expected to look for /etc/environment and that's the default way that the /etc/environment file is read, at least on Linux systems.

              – terdon
              Jan 7 at 11:37











            • I have it here: cat /etc/environment QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=qt5ct

              – Rui F Ribeiro
              Jan 7 at 11:41











            • @terdon: Looking for it is fine, assuming it exists is not fine. It's either a bug in pam_env or an issue with Debian.

              – einpoklum
              Jan 7 at 12:04











            • Sounds more like a bug of the specific distro. That is a standard file and it exists in Debian. But is this actually a problem? Does it cause any issue other than a message in the log?

              – terdon
              Jan 7 at 12:06












            Your Answer








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            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes








            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            4














            Answering all of your questions





            1. Why is cron/pam_env/pam_unix trying to open that file in the first place?




            See BUG #646015. In some cases (like locale related stuff) this file is deprecated. But it is still used system-wide, and log is made whenever it is missing.





            1. If they legitimately expect it, why isn't it there?




            Cause maybe the bug isn't fixed after all. Steve Langasek (BUG #646015) said it is, and new systems should create that file using postinst scripts the same way old systems being upgraded should already have that file.





            1. What should I do about this?





            • Run dpkg-reconfigure libpam-modules and see if it will create the file through its postinst script.

            • If that does not work, create the file manually with touch /etc/environment


            It's also interesting to report your issue to the Devuan Project with details of the problem and your setup since this issue was resolved before the Debian/Devuan fork happened.






            share|improve this answer






























              4














              Answering all of your questions





              1. Why is cron/pam_env/pam_unix trying to open that file in the first place?




              See BUG #646015. In some cases (like locale related stuff) this file is deprecated. But it is still used system-wide, and log is made whenever it is missing.





              1. If they legitimately expect it, why isn't it there?




              Cause maybe the bug isn't fixed after all. Steve Langasek (BUG #646015) said it is, and new systems should create that file using postinst scripts the same way old systems being upgraded should already have that file.





              1. What should I do about this?





              • Run dpkg-reconfigure libpam-modules and see if it will create the file through its postinst script.

              • If that does not work, create the file manually with touch /etc/environment


              It's also interesting to report your issue to the Devuan Project with details of the problem and your setup since this issue was resolved before the Debian/Devuan fork happened.






              share|improve this answer




























                4












                4








                4







                Answering all of your questions





                1. Why is cron/pam_env/pam_unix trying to open that file in the first place?




                See BUG #646015. In some cases (like locale related stuff) this file is deprecated. But it is still used system-wide, and log is made whenever it is missing.





                1. If they legitimately expect it, why isn't it there?




                Cause maybe the bug isn't fixed after all. Steve Langasek (BUG #646015) said it is, and new systems should create that file using postinst scripts the same way old systems being upgraded should already have that file.





                1. What should I do about this?





                • Run dpkg-reconfigure libpam-modules and see if it will create the file through its postinst script.

                • If that does not work, create the file manually with touch /etc/environment


                It's also interesting to report your issue to the Devuan Project with details of the problem and your setup since this issue was resolved before the Debian/Devuan fork happened.






                share|improve this answer















                Answering all of your questions





                1. Why is cron/pam_env/pam_unix trying to open that file in the first place?




                See BUG #646015. In some cases (like locale related stuff) this file is deprecated. But it is still used system-wide, and log is made whenever it is missing.





                1. If they legitimately expect it, why isn't it there?




                Cause maybe the bug isn't fixed after all. Steve Langasek (BUG #646015) said it is, and new systems should create that file using postinst scripts the same way old systems being upgraded should already have that file.





                1. What should I do about this?





                • Run dpkg-reconfigure libpam-modules and see if it will create the file through its postinst script.

                • If that does not work, create the file manually with touch /etc/environment


                It's also interesting to report your issue to the Devuan Project with details of the problem and your setup since this issue was resolved before the Debian/Devuan fork happened.







                share|improve this answer














                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer








                edited Jan 7 at 13:34









                terdon

                134k33270450




                134k33270450










                answered Jan 7 at 12:08









                nwildnernwildner

                15.1k34581




                15.1k34581

























                    3














                    An inelegant but perfectly valid solution is to give those modules what they want: As root, execute



                    touch /etc/environment


                    and to make sure the permissions are right, just in case:



                    chmod 644 /etc/environment





                    share|improve this answer



















                    • 2





                      Note that this behavior is completely normal. The pam_env is expected to look for /etc/environment and that's the default way that the /etc/environment file is read, at least on Linux systems.

                      – terdon
                      Jan 7 at 11:37











                    • I have it here: cat /etc/environment QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=qt5ct

                      – Rui F Ribeiro
                      Jan 7 at 11:41











                    • @terdon: Looking for it is fine, assuming it exists is not fine. It's either a bug in pam_env or an issue with Debian.

                      – einpoklum
                      Jan 7 at 12:04











                    • Sounds more like a bug of the specific distro. That is a standard file and it exists in Debian. But is this actually a problem? Does it cause any issue other than a message in the log?

                      – terdon
                      Jan 7 at 12:06
















                    3














                    An inelegant but perfectly valid solution is to give those modules what they want: As root, execute



                    touch /etc/environment


                    and to make sure the permissions are right, just in case:



                    chmod 644 /etc/environment





                    share|improve this answer



















                    • 2





                      Note that this behavior is completely normal. The pam_env is expected to look for /etc/environment and that's the default way that the /etc/environment file is read, at least on Linux systems.

                      – terdon
                      Jan 7 at 11:37











                    • I have it here: cat /etc/environment QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=qt5ct

                      – Rui F Ribeiro
                      Jan 7 at 11:41











                    • @terdon: Looking for it is fine, assuming it exists is not fine. It's either a bug in pam_env or an issue with Debian.

                      – einpoklum
                      Jan 7 at 12:04











                    • Sounds more like a bug of the specific distro. That is a standard file and it exists in Debian. But is this actually a problem? Does it cause any issue other than a message in the log?

                      – terdon
                      Jan 7 at 12:06














                    3












                    3








                    3







                    An inelegant but perfectly valid solution is to give those modules what they want: As root, execute



                    touch /etc/environment


                    and to make sure the permissions are right, just in case:



                    chmod 644 /etc/environment





                    share|improve this answer













                    An inelegant but perfectly valid solution is to give those modules what they want: As root, execute



                    touch /etc/environment


                    and to make sure the permissions are right, just in case:



                    chmod 644 /etc/environment






                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered Jan 7 at 11:25









                    einpoklumeinpoklum

                    2,22542454




                    2,22542454








                    • 2





                      Note that this behavior is completely normal. The pam_env is expected to look for /etc/environment and that's the default way that the /etc/environment file is read, at least on Linux systems.

                      – terdon
                      Jan 7 at 11:37











                    • I have it here: cat /etc/environment QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=qt5ct

                      – Rui F Ribeiro
                      Jan 7 at 11:41











                    • @terdon: Looking for it is fine, assuming it exists is not fine. It's either a bug in pam_env or an issue with Debian.

                      – einpoklum
                      Jan 7 at 12:04











                    • Sounds more like a bug of the specific distro. That is a standard file and it exists in Debian. But is this actually a problem? Does it cause any issue other than a message in the log?

                      – terdon
                      Jan 7 at 12:06














                    • 2





                      Note that this behavior is completely normal. The pam_env is expected to look for /etc/environment and that's the default way that the /etc/environment file is read, at least on Linux systems.

                      – terdon
                      Jan 7 at 11:37











                    • I have it here: cat /etc/environment QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=qt5ct

                      – Rui F Ribeiro
                      Jan 7 at 11:41











                    • @terdon: Looking for it is fine, assuming it exists is not fine. It's either a bug in pam_env or an issue with Debian.

                      – einpoklum
                      Jan 7 at 12:04











                    • Sounds more like a bug of the specific distro. That is a standard file and it exists in Debian. But is this actually a problem? Does it cause any issue other than a message in the log?

                      – terdon
                      Jan 7 at 12:06








                    2




                    2





                    Note that this behavior is completely normal. The pam_env is expected to look for /etc/environment and that's the default way that the /etc/environment file is read, at least on Linux systems.

                    – terdon
                    Jan 7 at 11:37





                    Note that this behavior is completely normal. The pam_env is expected to look for /etc/environment and that's the default way that the /etc/environment file is read, at least on Linux systems.

                    – terdon
                    Jan 7 at 11:37













                    I have it here: cat /etc/environment QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=qt5ct

                    – Rui F Ribeiro
                    Jan 7 at 11:41





                    I have it here: cat /etc/environment QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=qt5ct

                    – Rui F Ribeiro
                    Jan 7 at 11:41













                    @terdon: Looking for it is fine, assuming it exists is not fine. It's either a bug in pam_env or an issue with Debian.

                    – einpoklum
                    Jan 7 at 12:04





                    @terdon: Looking for it is fine, assuming it exists is not fine. It's either a bug in pam_env or an issue with Debian.

                    – einpoklum
                    Jan 7 at 12:04













                    Sounds more like a bug of the specific distro. That is a standard file and it exists in Debian. But is this actually a problem? Does it cause any issue other than a message in the log?

                    – terdon
                    Jan 7 at 12:06





                    Sounds more like a bug of the specific distro. That is a standard file and it exists in Debian. But is this actually a problem? Does it cause any issue other than a message in the log?

                    – terdon
                    Jan 7 at 12:06


















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