my /var directory currently is only 30 megs.
i have unassigned space on my hard drive and i need to make the /var directory bigger without lossin the data thats on it already
any suggestions?

Hi

In order to grow file system and do not loose your data, use Solstice DiskSuite 4.2

You should install it from Software Disk 2 of 2 located there in Early Access directory

run pkgadd -d /{directory path *(all packages)

if you use CDE run metatool
do replicas on unused slices
then concatenate your var directory (I RECOMMEND to see docs.sun.com for step by step configurations of doing stripe sets and concatenations)

In command line growfs -M slice1 slice2 (in graphics it construct concatination for you)

It's a very flexible tool for solving such problems like yours

Good luck

Write me if you have questions

You know, you might be able to avoid doing this.

The main reason for the var partition filling up so quickly is system accounting logs growing.

change to /var/adm and ls -l to see if your wtmp and wtmpx files are huge. If they are then you can just do

cat /dev/null > /var/adm/wtmp
cat /dev/null > /var/adm/wtmpx

Note that you won't have any last logs for the time previous to doing this if you do it.

It's ok if this is just a personal machine though, the logs will start rebuilding. I always put a script on my machines (and servers at work) to backup these files every month and to create empty versions. It stops the var partition usage flying up through the roof.