How to stop email report from Cron <root@machine> (hourly)

Question

I'm running an Ubuntu 12.04, I've configured "ssmtp" with my gmail account and now I'm getting every hour an email with a report, this is an example:

From: root <[email protected]> Date: 2012/8/13 Subject: Cron <root@one> [
-x /usr/lib/php5/maxlifetime ] && [ -d /var/lib/php5 ] && find /var/lib/php5/ -depth
-mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type f -cmin
+$(/usr/lib/php5/maxlifetime) ! -execdir fuser -s {} 2>/dev/null \; -delete To: root

Failed loading /usr/lib/php5/20090626/xdebug.so: 
/usr/lib/php5/20090626/xdebug.so: cannot open shared object file: No
such file or directory

Some more info:

$ cat /etc/lsb-release
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=12.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=precise
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 12.04 LTS"

More...

$ sudo crontab -l -u root
no crontab for root

More...

$ nano /etc/crontab
# /etc/crontab: system-wide crontab
# Unlike any other crontab you don't have to run the `crontab'
# command to install the new version when you edit this file
# and files in /etc/cron.d. These files also have username fields,
# that none of the other crontabs do.

SHELL=/bin/sh PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin

# m h dom mon dow user  command
17 *    * * *   root    cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly 
25 6    * * *   root    test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.daily ) 
47 6    * * 7   root    test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts
--report /etc/cron.weekly ) 
52 6    1 * *   root    test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.monthly )
#

I've commented the line 17 * * * * root cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly, but the email still arriving.

Solution 1

Just add below to /etc/crontab

MAILTO=""

to stop crontab from sending email totally edit /etc/sysconfig/crond and add this CRONDARGS='-m off'.
Save and restart crond.

Solution 2

When cron starts a process, it captures any output that reaches stdout and stderr, and sends that in an email. To prevent these emails, you can re-direct the stdout and stderr, either to a logfile that you monitor, or /dev/null, if you don't care.

17 *    * * *   root    cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly 2>&1 > /dev/null

Comments

[user83162]

Hi! Thanks for answer me so quickly! I've found this issue that I think is causing the problem: bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/php5/+bug/876387 So, until the problem is resolved, I'm going to apply your solution! Thanks again! nonox

[Sindhuja Ravula]

I like this answer because it can disable mails for a specific job, rather than the MAILTO="" which would disable all cron mail.

[ThorSummoner]

It appears this line has to be added to every crontab file wanted silenced, (atleast from my testing). also beware that user crons live elsewhere: serverfault.com/a/325344/210994

[3kstc]

@ThorSummoner When mentioning "...every crontab file..." is that in the crontab itself, or in the script, underneath the shebang line?