Disable --MARK-- in /var/log/messages

In Debian installations, syslogd is default configured to show a --MARK-- message in /var/log/messages once every 20 minutes.  This message is used to help identify locations in the messages log, and some argued that it helps the system administrator to verify the log daemon is running. However, if you're like me, and have nothing really running on the server, you will find the messages log build up with nothing but --MARK-- lines.  Here's a quick way to disable the --MARK-- message:

Edit the configuration file:


Find:
SYSLOGD=""

Replace with:
SYSLOGD="-m 0"

Ctrl + X, Y to save and exit.

Then, issue this command:


It will stop any future entry of that --MARK-- message.