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                                       BOOTLOGD(8)