Apache 2.2 on Windows as a service, how to delete error.log? (errors retention)

Question

This is bizarre, it seems i can't reset/delete Apache error.log

I'm running Apache 2.2 as service on Windows 7.

Today i wanted to delete error.log and acess.log in:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.2\logs

I stop Apache (from Windows services), then I delete both files (he asks for admin privilege, i say yes and the files are deleted from the folder). I hit refresh on folder view just to make sure the files are gone.

Then I start again Apache service, the install.log file is created new (0 bytes), but the error.log file is re-created the one that i deleted before with all the errors since last July. I don't understand how can Apache bring back these informations, it seems it saves errors also somewhere else, but where? How can I delete/reset the error.log file?

Solution

I am pretty sure apache is not doing this.

Apache would create as many log files are you want it to in the config file. You can check your config files for multiple error log entries.

Even if Apache was saving multiple copies of the log it wouldn't restore them. It would be the underlying operating system that would do that. Perhaps try deleting the file completely instead of sending to recycle bin ( Shift DELETE ).

Comments

[Sahil]

I tried SHIFT + DELETE and even emptying the bin, the error.log file goes away. But when I restart Apache it is created again with all the content it was there before. I'm sure the errors start in July 2013.

[Sahil]

You were right, it was an issue with UltraEdit (that I used to view Apache error.log file), when dragging error.log file into UltreEdit it does not update it, it shows and old copy, is crazy. When dragging Apache error.log file into Notepad you see it right.