NAME
bootlogd - record boot messages
SYNOPSIS
/sbin/bootlogd [-c] [-d] [-r] [-s] [-v] [ -l logfile ] [ -p pidfile ]
DESCRIPTION
Bootlogd runs in the background and copies all strings sent to the
/dev/console device to a logfile. If the logfile is not accessible, the
messages will be kept in memory until it is.
OPTIONS
-d Do not fork and run in the background.
-c Attempt to write to the logfile even if it does not yet exist.
Without this option, bootlogd will wait for the logfile to
appear before attempting to write to it. This behavior prevents
bootlogd from creating logfiles under mount points.
-r If there is an existing logfile called logfile rename it to
logfile~ unless logfile~ already exists.
-s Ensure that the data is written to the file after each line by
calling fdatasync(3). This will slow down a fsck(8) process
running in parallel.
-v Show version.
-l logfile
Log to this logfile. The default is /var/log/boot.
-p pidfile
Put process-id in this file. The default is no pidfile.
BUGS
Bootlogd works by redirecting the console output from the console
device. (Consequently bootlogd requires PTY support in the kernel
configuration.) It copies that output to the real console device and
to a log file. There is no standard way of ascertaining the real
console device if you have a new-style /dev/console device (major 5,
minor 1) so bootlogd parses the kernel command line looking for
console=... lines and deduces the real console device from that. If
that syntax is ever changed by the kernel, or a console type is used
that bootlogd does not know about then bootlogd will not work.
AUTHOR
Miquel van Smoorenburg, miquels@cistron.nl
SEE ALSO
dmesg(8),fdatasync(3).
Jul 21, 2003