modprobe: Can't locate module block-major-## and NTP issues

[Derek Doucette]

Hello all:

I have a redhat AS2.1 box, well multiple actually, and I am getting a
bunch of errors as follows:

Jun 23 23:01:17 asf-db110 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module
block-major-22
Jun 23 23:01:17 asf-db110 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module
block-major-22
Jun 23 23:01:17 asf-db110 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module
block-major-33
Jun 23 23:01:17 asf-db110 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module
block-major-33
Jun 23 23:01:17 asf-db110 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module
block-major-34
Jun 23 23:01:17 asf-db110 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module
block-major-34
Jun 23 23:01:17 asf-db110 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module
block-major-56
Jun 23 23:01:17 asf-db110 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module
block-major-56
Jun 23 23:01:17 asf-db110 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module
block-major-57
Jun 23 23:01:17 asf-db110 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module
block-major-57

This is happening somewhat erratically, but historically looks to be
about every 4 hours.  I have done some looking around and it looks like
this can be stopped by adding "alias block-major-## off", but nobody will
tell why or what this is exactly showing me.  I don't want to blindly
turn this off, and I can't figure out what is causing it, there is no
script in crontab that seems to correlate time wise.  Does anyone know of
a listing of the block device numbers or of some information that can
make me feel comfortable about shutting this off?

Also, on an unrelated note, I am also getting errors about ntp not being
able to open the drift file, /etc/ntp/drift.TEMP.  the directory is and
ntp.drift file are owned by ntp and group ntp, I have tried to create a
drift.TEMP file and also not having one in the directory.  Does anyone
know of a quick fix?

Thanks,
Derek Doucette
http://www.deucedaily.org