> I was playing with my /etc/syslog.conf to set my new HP laptop up so
> that the disk would spin down and stay that way.  However, I think I
> may have eradicated an important line, because I now have no
> /var/log/sys.log 

Erm... I have no such thing on any of my redhat systems; no sys.log or
even syslog. All the stuff is (by default) written to /var/log/messages. 

> Can someone share the pertinent lines of their /etc/syslog.conf and

Below is  sylog.conf from my laptop, which is RH7.something.

Andy


-----------
# Log all kernel messages to the console.
# Logging much else clutters up the screen.
#kern.*                                                 /dev/console

# Log anything (except mail) of level info or higher.
# Don't log private authentication messages!
*.info;mail.none;authpriv.none                          /var/log/messages

# The authpriv file has restricted access.
authpriv.*                                              /var/log/secure

# Log all the mail messages in one place.
mail.*                                                  /var/log/maillog


# Log cron stuff
cron.*                                                  /var/log/cron

# Everybody gets emergency messages, plus log them on another
# machine.
*.emerg                                                 *

# Save mail and news errors of level err and higher in a
# special file.
uucp,news.crit                                          /var/log/spooler

# Save boot messages also to boot.log
local7.*                                                /var/log/boot.log