How to Check Error Logs in PuTTY

Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: September 23, 2024

To check error logs for a Linux server in PuTTY, you'll need to know the name and location of the log file (usually /var/logs). Use the "cd" command to enter the directory, then use the "tail" or "more" command to see what's in the log. This wikiHow will teach you how to check error logs in PuTTY.

Quick Steps

Log in to a server with PuTTY.
Use the cd command (e.g., cd /var/logs) to enter the directory containing the error log.
Type "tail -n 10 <log name>" to view the last 10 lines of the log.
Alternatively, type "more <log name>" to open the entire log file.

For popular FAQs on checking error logs in Putty, jump to more common questions.

Steps

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Double-click the PuTTY icon on your Desktop to open it or search your Start menu.
Enter your hostname (or IP address), port number, and password to connect to your server with PuTTY.

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Navigate the PuTTY window to your logs. In most instances, you can use "cd ~/logs" or "/var/www/vhosts/example.com/statistics/logs/".
- Unix logs are stored in a variety of locations, so you'll need to find the location of the error log before you can view them.
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Enter the command to see your error logs. The command varies between servers and operating systems, but the default is similar to: "tail -n 10 error.log".
- If you get an error message or don't receive an answer, your error logs might be in a different location. Check with your server's information to find the file path your logs are stored.
- Some commands will require root access and should start with "sudo" to work.

Common Questions

How do I view logs in Linux?

The most common location for logs is /var/logs. Type cd /var/logs to enter the directory, then type ls -a to see which logs are in the directory. To view a log, type more <log file name>, then use the spacebar to page through each screen.

How do I check files in PuTTY?

To see which files are in a directory, type ls -a. Or, use ls -al to see all files and subdirectories, as well as their permissions. To view the contents of a text file, type cat <filename>, or use more <filename> to browse the file screen by screen.

How do I search logs in Linux terminal?

Use the "grep" command to search for text in any file, including log files. For example, grep -l "error" *.* will search for the word "error" in all files within the current directory. You can also use cat <logfilename> to find text within a specific log file.