/var/adm/messages stops, dissapears.

interesting problem with my syslog. (frustrating I mean)
On one system I have the /var/adm/messages file keeps disapearing
My log shows:
Unusual System Events
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
File /var/adm/syslog cannot be read.
File /var/adm/messages cannot be read.

and I can do a restart (stop/restart) of syslog by doing a /etc/init.d/syslog
stop, then  a start

and it is seen (since this problem started I added the following lines to the
stock file:
(based on original creation above)
                 if [ ! -f /var/adm/messages ]; then
                        /usr/bin/cp /dev/null /var/adm/messages
                        /usr/bin/chmod 0644 /var/adm/messages
                fi
                if [ ! -f /var/adm/syslog ]; then
                        /usr/bin/cp /dev/null /var/adm/syslog
                        /usr/bin/chmod 0644 /var/adm/syslog
                fi
                if [ ! -f /var/adm/maillog ]; then
                        /usr/bin/cp /dev/null /var/adm/maillog
                        /usr/bin/chmod 0644 /var/adm/maillog

so it seems to restart  ok, if only for another 10 mins or so.

I've tried running a log of when it's stopping, lasts about 10-12 mins, then
needs restart.
process list when it stops doesnt show any immediate candidates for cause of
problem.

I'm kind of stumped?
ideas, suggestions, welcome.

I've included my /etc/syslog.conf to see if someone ELSE see's something funky
that might be doing this, but I've
been over it 5-6 times, and dont see much.

Thanks again, and I did try a few searches on the list, but didnt come up with
anything

Oh yes, the syslogd daemon doesnt stop running, it's just that /var/messages
disapears!

Mitch Bruntel
AT&T Labs

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
/etc/syslog.conf follows:
#ident  "@(#)syslog.conf        1.5     99/02/03 SMI"   /* SunOS 5.0 */
#
# Copyright (c) 1991-1999 by Sun Microsystems, Inc.
# All rights reserved.
#
# syslog configuration file.
#
# This file is processed by m4 so be careful to quote (`') names
# that match m4 reserved words.  Also, within ifdef's, arguments
# containing commas must be quoted.
#
# next is original
#*.info                                         /var/adm/messages
*.info;mail.info                                /var/adm/messages
#mail.info                                      /var/adm/maillog
*.err;kern.notice                               /dev/sysmsg
*.err;kern.debug;daemon.notice;mail.crit        /var/adm/messages
#kern, mark.debug                               /var/adm/messages
# prev line for kernel mark

*.alert;kern.err;daemon.err                     operator
*.alert
*.emerg                                         *

# if a non-loghost machine chooses to have authentication messages
# sent to the loghost machine, un-comment out the following line:
#auth.notice                    ifdef(`LOGHOST', /var/log/authlog, @loghost)

#mail.debug                     ifdef(`LOGHOST', /var/log/syslog, @loghost)

#
# non-loghost machines will use the following lines to cause "user"
# log messages to be logged locally.
#
ifdef(`LOGHOST', ,
user.err                                        /dev/sysmsg
user.err                                        /var/adm/messages
user.alert                                      `root, operator'
user.emerg                                      *
)
auth.debug                                      /var/log/authlog
auth.notice                                     /var/log/authlog
auth.info                                       /var/log/authlog