Question :
When i try to edit and create the crontab on my CentOS 6.2 server, i get the following message:
[root@centos62 ~]# crontab -e bash: crontab: command not found
Answer :
On linux CentOS 6.2 minimum installation, crontab package does not installed or included. Crontab is the program used to install, remove or list the tables used to drive the cron daemon. cron is a daemon to execute scheduled commands. Cron should be started from /etc/rc.d/init.d or /etc/init.d.
In order to use crontab, you have to install using the following command :
[root@centos62 ~]# yum install vixie-cron -y
Example :
[root@centos62 ~]# yum install vixie-cron -y Loaded plugins: fastestmirror Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile * base: mirror.averse.net * epel: ftp.jaist.ac.jp * extras: mirror.averse.net * updates: mirror.issp.co.th Setting up Install Process Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package cronie.i686 0:1.4.4-7.el6 will be installed --> Processing Dependency: dailyjobs for package: cronie-1.4.4-7.el6.i686 --> Processing Dependency: /usr/sbin/sendmail for package: cronie-1.4.4-7.el6.i686 --> Running transaction check ---> Package cronie-anacron.i686 0:1.4.4-7.el6 will be installed --> Processing Dependency: crontabs for package: cronie-anacron-1.4.4-7.el6.i686 ---> Package exim.i686 0:4.72-2.el6 will be installed --> Running transaction check ---> Package crontabs.noarch 0:1.10-33.el6 will be installed --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ==================================================================================================== Package Arch Version Repository Size ==================================================================================================== Installing: cronie i686 1.4.4-7.el6 CentOS6.2-Repository 70 k Installing for dependencies: cronie-anacron i686 1.4.4-7.el6 CentOS6.2-Repository 29 k crontabs noarch 1.10-33.el6 CentOS6.2-Repository 10 k exim i686 4.72-2.el6 epel 1.2 M Transaction Summary ==================================================================================================== Install 4 Package(s) Total download size: 1.3 M Installed size: 3.9 M Downloading Packages: (1/4): exim-4.72-2.el6.i686.rpm | 1.2 MB 00:11 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 111 kB/s | 1.3 MB 00:12 Running rpm_check_debug Running Transaction Test Transaction Test Succeeded Running Transaction Installing : exim-4.72-2.el6.i686 1/4 Installing : cronie-1.4.4-7.el6.i686 2/4 Installing : crontabs-1.10-33.el6.noarch 3/4 Installing : cronie-anacron-1.4.4-7.el6.i686 4/4 Installed: cronie.i686 0:1.4.4-7.el6 Dependency Installed: cronie-anacron.i686 0:1.4.4-7.el6 crontabs.noarch 0:1.10-33.el6 exim.i686 0:4.72-2.el6 Complete!
Sample usage of crontabe :
[root@centos62 ~]# crontab -e
# Used to update Cacti */5 * * * * /usr/share/cacti/poller.php >> /var/log/cacti 2>&1