Can't get root to receive mail using the 'mail' command

[simcon]

Hi,

 

I'm using the 'mail' console command because I am now using the logchecker.sh script from the Mandrake CDs to check my logs for intrusions and the mail command is used to send any suspect actions to root. Well it should do but the message doesn't get to root, it stays in the file /var/spool/mail/postfix and I don't know why. If I send mail as root to a user the user gets the mail, but it doesn't work the other way around. Any help would be appreciated.

[theYinYeti]

When you use the mail command, it is sending the request (for sending the mail) to postfix (or an equivalent if you don't use the default). Postfix is configured with default aliases so that root's mail does not get sent to root but to a real user. You probably did not configure the file, so by default, the "real" user is postfix (the only user Postfix is sure is existing).

 

For changing this behaviour, go and see the aliases file in /etc/postfix.

 

Yves.

[simcon]

Thanks theYinYeti :D

 

It works now. root cannot accept mail through root, it has to be sent to a user because of privileges.

 

For the record, I had to change two items in /etc/postfix/access :-

 

--------------------------------------------------------------

postmaster: root <-- change this to a user name e.g. --> postmaster: simcon

 

root: postmaster <-- change this to a user name e.g. --> root: simcon

--------------------------------------------------------------

 

I changed them to my login name and it works. I now receive mail for root in my user account :D

 

Cheers.