xref: /freebsd/usr.sbin/watchdogd/watchdogd.8 (revision 370c3cb57cb5163d6847a6824b2720554e33754a)
1.\" Copyright (c) 2003  Sean M. Kelly <smkelly@FreeBSD.org>
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25.\" $FreeBSD$
26.\"
27.Dd June 25, 2003
28.Dt WATCHDOGD 8
29.Os
30.Sh NAME
31.Nm watchdogd
32.Nd Software watchdog daemon
33.Sh SYNOPSIS
34.Nm
35.Op Fl d
36.Op Fl I Ar file
37.Sh DESCRIPTION
38The
39.Nm
40utility interfaces with the kernel's software watchdog facility to ensure
41that the system is in a working state.
42If
43.Nm
44is unable to interface with the kernel over a specific timeout,
45the kernel will take actions to assist in debugging or restarting the computer.
46.Pp
47One possible circumstance which will cause a watchdog timeout is an interrupt
48storm.
49If this occurs,
50.Nm
51will no longer execute and thus the kernel's watchdog routines will take
52action after a configurable timeout.
53.Pp
54Upon receiving the
55.Dv SIGTERM
56or
57.Dv SIGINT
58signals,
59.Nm
60will first instruct the kernel to no longer perform watchdog checks and then
61will terminate.
62.Pp
63The
64.Nm
65utility recognizes the following runtime options:
66.Bl -tag -width ".Fl I Ar file"
67.It Fl I Ar file
68Write the process id of the
69.Nm
70utility in the specified file.
71.It Fl d
72Don't fork.
73When this option is specified,
74.Nm
75will not fork into the background at startup.
76.El
77.Sh FILES
78.Bl -tag -width "/var/run/watchdogd.pid" -compact
79.It Pa /var/run/watchdogd.pid
80.El
81.Sh SEE ALSO
82.Xr watchdog 4 ,
83.Xr sysctl 8
84.Sh AUTHORS
85.An -nosplit
86The
87.Nm
88utility and manual page were written by
89.An Sean Kelly Aq smkelly@FreeBSD.org .
90.Pp
91Some contributions made by
92.An Jeff Roberson Aq jeff@FreeBSD.org .
93.Sh HISTORY
94The
95.Nm
96utility appeared in
97.Fx 5.1 .
98