Troubleshooting guide for log files consuming excessive disk space. Learn how to identify large log files, implement log rotation, and prevent disk space issues from logs.

Last updated: 2026-01-11

Log Files Consuming Disk Space - How to Fix

Log files can grow indefinitely and consume disk space, causing disk full errors and service failures. This troubleshooting guide helps you identify large log files, implement log rotation, and prevent disk space issues.

For comprehensive log monitoring, see Centralized Log Monitoring. For monitoring log sizes, see Monitor Log File Sizes.

Symptoms of Log Files Consuming Disk Space

Disk space warnings or errors
Large log files in /var/log
Services failing due to disk full
Slow system performance
Log rotation not working

Step 1: Identify Large Log Files

Find Large Log Files

# Find large log files in /var/log
find /var/log -type f -size +100M -exec ls -lh {} \;

# Find largest log files
find /var/log -type f -exec du -h {} + | sort -rh | head -10

# Check disk usage by directory
du -sh /var/log/* | sort -rh | head -10

# Check total log directory size
du -sh /var/log

Check Disk Space Usage

# Check disk space
df -h

# Check disk usage for /var/log
df -h /var/log

# Check inode usage
df -i

# Find files consuming space
du -h --max-depth=1 /var/log | sort -rh

Step 2: Check Log Rotation Status

Verify Logrotate Configuration

# Check logrotate configuration
cat /etc/logrotate.conf

# Check application-specific logrotate configs
ls -la /etc/logrotate.d/

# Test logrotate configuration
sudo logrotate -d /etc/logrotate.conf

# Check logrotate status
ls -la /var/lib/logrotate/status

Check Log Rotation Execution

# Check last logrotate execution
stat /var/lib/logrotate/status | grep Modify

# Force logrotate execution
sudo logrotate -f /etc/logrotate.conf

# Check logrotate logs
grep logrotate /var/log/syslog | tail -20

Step 3: Identify Root Causes

Common Causes of Large Log Files

Log Rotation Not Working:
- Logrotate not configured
- Logrotate not running
- Incorrect logrotate configuration
- Permission issues
High Log Volume:
- Excessive logging
- Debug logging enabled
- Error loops generating logs
- High application activity
Log Retention Issues:
- Logs not being deleted
- Retention period too long
- Compressed logs accumulating
- Archive logs not cleaned

Step 4: Fix Log File Issues

Implement Log Rotation

Configure Logrotate:

# Edit logrotate configuration
sudo nano /etc/logrotate.d/application-logs

# Add configuration
/var/log/application/*.log {
    daily
    rotate 7
    compress
    delaycompress
    missingok
    notifempty
    create 0644 user group
}

Test Logrotate Configuration:

# Test configuration
sudo logrotate -d /etc/logrotate.d/application-logs

# Force rotation
sudo logrotate -f /etc/logrotate.d/application-logs

Clean Up Large Log Files

Archive Old Logs:

# Compress old logs
find /var/log -name "*.log" -mtime +7 -exec gzip {} \;

# Move to archive
find /var/log -name "*.log.gz" -mtime +30 -exec mv {} /archive/logs/ \;

Delete Old Logs:

# Delete logs older than 30 days
find /var/log -name "*.log" -mtime +30 -delete

# Delete compressed logs older than 90 days
find /var/log -name "*.log.gz" -mtime +90 -delete

Clean Up Specific Logs:

# Truncate large log file
sudo truncate -s 0 /var/log/large-log.log

# Or remove and recreate
sudo rm /var/log/large-log.log
sudo touch /var/log/large-log.log

Reduce Log Volume

Adjust Log Levels:
- Change debug logging to info/warning
- Reduce verbose logging
- Disable unnecessary log statements
- Update application logging configuration
Fix Error Loops:
- Identify and fix error loops
- Reduce error logging frequency
- Implement log throttling
- Fix application bugs causing errors

Step 5: Prevent Future Log Issues

Implement Proper Monitoring

Set up automated monitoring with Zuzia.app to track log file sizes continuously:

Add Log Size Monitoring:
```
find /var/log -type f -size +100M | wc -l
```
- Monitor log file sizes
- Alert when large logs detected
Monitor Disk Space:
```
df -h /var/log | awk 'NR==2 {print $5}' | sed 's/%//'
```
- Track disk usage
- Alert when disk space low

Best Practices

Configure Log Rotation:
- Set up logrotate for all applications
- Configure appropriate retention periods
- Test logrotate configuration regularly
- Monitor log rotation execution
Monitor Log Sizes:
- Track log file sizes continuously
- Alert when logs exceed thresholds
- Review log growth patterns
- Optimize logging configuration
Implement Log Retention:
- Set appropriate retention periods
- Archive old logs before deletion
- Compress old logs to save space
- Clean up archived logs regularly
Optimize Logging:
- Use appropriate log levels
- Reduce verbose logging
- Implement log throttling
- Fix error loops

FAQ: Common Questions About Log Files

How do I prevent log files from consuming disk space?

Prevent log file issues by configuring proper log rotation, setting appropriate retention periods, monitoring log file sizes continuously, and cleaning up old logs regularly.

How often should I rotate logs?

Rotate logs daily for high-volume applications, weekly for moderate volume, and monthly for low volume. Adjust based on your log volume and disk capacity.

Can I delete log files safely?

You can delete old log files safely if they're rotated and archived. Never delete active log files that applications are writing to. Use logrotate to manage log files properly.

How do I reduce log file size?

Reduce log file size by adjusting log levels, reducing verbose logging, fixing error loops, implementing log throttling, and configuring proper log rotation.

Related guides
- Centralized Log Monitoring and Analysis - Best Practices for Linux Servers
- Disk Monitoring Deep Dive - Understanding Storage Metrics
Related recipes
- How to Monitor Log File Sizes and Rotation on Linux Server
- Find Files Over a Size Threshold on Linux
Related problems
- Disk Full Emergency - Free Up Space in 5 Minutes
- Server Slow Performance Issues

Log Files Consuming Disk Space - How to Fix