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)