BOOTLOGD

Section: Linux System Administrator's Manual (8)
Updated: Jul 21, 2003
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NAME

bootlogd - record boot messages

SYNOPSIS

/sbin/bootlogd [-d] [-r] [-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 buffered in-memory until it is.

OPTIONS

-d: Do not fork and run in the background.
-r: If there is an existing logfile called logfile rename it to logfile~ unless logfile~ already exists.
-v: Show version.
-l: Log to this logfile. The default is /var/log/boot.
-p: Put process-id in this file. The default is no pidfile.

BUGS

Bootlogd works by redirecting the console output from the console device. It copies that output to the real console device and a logfile. There is no standard way to find out the real console device if you have a new-style /dev/console device (major 5, minor 1). Bootlogd tries to parse the kernel command line, looking for console= lines and deducts the real console device from that. If that syntax is ever changed by the kernel, or a console-type is used bootlogd does not know about, bootlogd will not work.

AUTHOR

Miquel van Smoorenburg, miquels@cistron.nl