Bash script runs manually but not in cron

[bigdessert]

I have a bash script that is like this:

#!/bin/bash

rm -rf /home/domain/mail/domain.com/user/cur/*
rm -rf /home/domain/mail/domain.com/user/maildirsize

If I run the script locally it works correctly. If I schedule it via root crontab job per the cron log it runs but doesn't actually delete the files like it should.

Any Ideas why it runs manually but via cron it doesn't delete any files?

Also on another side note, obviously this is being used to delete all email in a users inbox. Is this a proper way to do this or should I be performing this task a different way?

 

[Eric]

Howdy,

Could you cat the /var/spool/cron/<username> file for this user?

Thanks!

 

[bigdessert]

4,19,34,49 * * * * /usr/local/cpanel/whostmgr/bin/dnsqueue > /dev/null 2>&1
0 0 * * * /usr/local/cpanel/whostmgr/docroot/cgi/cpaddons_report.pl --notify
*/5 * * * * /usr/local/cpanel/bin/dcpumon >/dev/null 2>&1
MAILTO=""
*/45 * * * * /home/smilecen/backup
10 4 * * * cd /usr/local/assp;perl /usr/local/assp/rebuildspamdb.pl
*/59 * * * * /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/php-cgi /usr/local/assp/deluxe/ex_localdomains.php clean_logs=yes
*/3 * * * * /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/php-cgi /usr/local/assp/deluxe/update_email.php debug=yes
*/4 * * * * /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/php-cgi /usr/local/assp/deluxe/spam_cronjob.php
26 3 * * * /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/php-cgi /usr/local/assp/deluxe/clear_spambox.php sday=5 noemail=yes
*/20 * * * * /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/php-cgi /usr/local/assp/deluxe/find_abusers.php sw=10 rl=15 sc=15 er=8 lm=8 dc=10 on=1 bl=1 lu=8 sz=250
*/1 * * * * /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/php-cgi /usr/local/assp/deluxe/status.php
*/2 * * * * /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/php-cgi /usr/local/assp/deluxe/status.php check_ssl=yes
0 4 * * * /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/php-cgi /usr/local/assp/deluxe/signatures.php
*/5 * * * *  /usr/local/bin/php /scripts/custom/dynamic_update.php
0 3 * * * /scripts/custom/backup.sh
0 0 * * * /scripts/custom/exchange.sh > /exchange.log 2>&1
MAILTO=root
*/15 * * * * /scripts/custom/PWSmonitorchanges.cgi >/dev/null 2>&1
*/15 * * * * /scripts/custom/alert/PWSmonitorchanges.cgi >/dev/null 2>&1
30 */4 * * * /usr/bin/test -x /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/update_db_cache && /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/update_db_cache
45 */8 * * * /usr/bin/test -x /usr/local/cpanel/bin/optimizefs && /usr/local/cpanel/bin/optimizefs
20 4 * * * /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/upcp --cron > /dev/null 2>&1
0 7 * * * /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/cpbackup > /dev/null 2>&1
35 * * * * /usr/bin/test -x /usr/local/cpanel/bin/tail-check && /usr/local/cpanel/bin/tail-check
30 */2 * * * /usr/local/cpanel/bin/mysqluserstore >/dev/null 2>&1
15 */2 * * * /usr/local/cpanel/bin/dbindex >/dev/null 2>&1
25 4 * * * /usr/bin/freshclam --quiet --no-warnings
0 6 * * * /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/exim_tidydb > /dev/null 2>&1
0 6 * * * /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/exim_tidydb > /dev/null 2>&1
45 */4 * * * /usr/bin/test -x /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/update_mailman_cache && /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/update_mailman_cache
15 */6 * * * /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/recoverymgmt >/dev/null 2>&1
2,58 * * * * /usr/local/bandmin/bandmin
0 0 * * * /usr/local/bandmin/ipaddrmap

 

[sirdopes]

Do you see the cron running in /var/log/cron ? Also, is there a reason that you are deleting the email? I guess i am confused on why you would want an email address setup in the first place if you are erasing the email.

 

[bigdessert]

Yes, it is showing as run in var/log/cron.

The reason for having the email is the email comes to our server first, then gets static routed in exim to another host. We do spam checking and it does collection to a spam folder in the users mailbox. In order for spam collection to happen there has to be a mailbox. Because all emails are being forwarded I don't need to keep copies in the user inbox as it will just keep growing. This was my simple solution to clean their inbox daily.

 

[bigdessert]

any ideas on this, still not running.

 

[d-woo]

in /var/log/cron where you see that the cron is running, just before CMD you will see in parentheses either (root) or ({username})

If it is root, I'm not sure what the issue is.

I entered my cron via cPanel, so it is run as {username} and not root.

So...if as {username} you will need to ensure that your script:
a. is chown as {username}:{username}
b. is chmod as 744 (executable)
c. is located in /home/{username}

so when you enter your cron command in cPanel it will look like:
/bin/bash /home/{username}/backup.sh

Now...if your script is writing to or accessing an area other than /home/{username} then it will not work.

You will need to run the cron as root.

My script was backing up to /var/lib/mysql/backups...it ran perfectly when I tested it as root, but during the Cron job it ran, but nothing was executed because it was run as {username} because {username} was not allowed into /var/lib/mysql

Hope this helps you.

 

[cPanelTristan]

What is the actual cronjob in /var/spool/cron/root location? You mention is being run by the root user and you provided the full crontab entry for root, but I am uncertain what cronjob it would be under that file. Please only provide the entry for that specific cronjob in /var/spool/cron/root location.

Also, it might be better to have the full path to rm rather than the partial path in the script you are using:

#!/bin/bash

/bin/rm -rf /home/domain/mail/domain.com/user/cur/*
/bin/rm -rf /home/domain/mail/domain.com/user/maildirsize