Why does Ubuntu create the file /var/log/boot?

Question

Why does Ubuntu 10.04.4 and 11.10 create the file /var/log/boot and does not fill it except with the text: "(Nothing has been logged yet.)"?

Answer 1

The reason it is empty is that bootlogd is disabled by default.

If you wish to see boot messages in the log you need to enable it.

Do Alt+F2 to open Run Dialogue

Then Change

BOOTLOGD_ENABLE=No

to

BOOTLOGD_ENABLE=Yes

Save and exit gedit.

This is what it looks like here - decide if the information is important to you and enable if you wish.

Answer 2

You need to enable boot logging by opening a terminal and typing the following:

$ sudo gedit /etc/default/bootlogd

The text editor will open, and the following will be show:

BOOTLOGD_ENABLE=No

Change BOOTLOGD_ENABLE to yes

Now, everytime you restart, /var/log/boot will be created, and it will contain a log of all your boot messages. You need to be root to open it, so you can easily open it up again with sudo.

source: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=49925