Provided by: bootlogd_2.88dsf-59.3ubuntu2_amd64 
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)