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WDOGCTL(8) System Manager's Manual WDOGCTL(8)
NAME
wdogctl - Watchdog timer control utility
SYNOPSIS
wdogctl
wdogctl -d
wdogctl -e [-A] [-p seconds] timer
wdogctl -k [-A] [-p seconds] timer
wdogctl -t
wdogctl -u [-A] [-p seconds] timer
wdogctl -x [-A] [-p seconds] timer
DESCRIPTION
wdogctl is used to manipulate watchdog timers. A watchdog timer is a
hardware or software timer that resets the system if it fails to make
progress within a prescribed period. To prevent the system from being
reset, something must refresh the timer to prevent it from expiring.
A hardware watchdog timer asserts system's hardware reset signal when it
expires. A software watchdog timer calls the kernel's s normal reboot
path.
The NetBSD kernel provides three modes in which watchdog timers may
operate: kernel tickle mode, user tickle mode, and external tickle mode.
kernel tickle mode
A timer in the kernel refreshes the watchdog timer. This ensures
kernel threads can make progress within the period of the
watchdog timer.
user tickle mode
wdogctl runs in the background and refreshes the watchdog timer.
This ensures user programs can make progress within the period of
the watchdog timer.
Note that user tickle mode must be used with caution; on a
heavily loaded system, the timer may expire accidentally, even
though user programs may be making (very slow) progress. A user-
mode timer is disarmed (if possible) when the device is closed,
unless the timer is activated with the -x option.
external tickle mode
Similar to user tickle mode, except that the tickle must be done
explicitly by a separate invocation of wdogctl -t. This allows
users to determine the activity whose progress the watchdog timer
checks.
In kernel and user tickle modes, an attempt is made to refresh the
watchdog timer in one half the timer's configured period. For example,
if the watchdog timer has a period of 30 seconds, a refresh attempt is
made every 15 seconds.
If called without arguments, wdogctl will list the timers available on
the system. When arming a watchdog timer, the timer argument is the name
of the timer to arm.
Only one timer may be armed at a time; if an attempt is made to arm a
timer when one is already armed, an error message will be displayed and
no action will be taken.
The options are as follows:
-A When arming a timer, this flag indicates that an audible
alarm is to sound when the watchdog timer expires and resets
the system. If the selected timer does not support an
audible alarm, this option will be silently ignored.
-d This flag disarms the currently active timer. Note that not
all watchdog timers can be disabled once armed. If the
selected timer can not be disabled, an error message will be
displayed and the timer will remain armed.
-e Arm timer in external tickle mode.
-k Arm timer in kernel tickle mode.
-p period When arming a timer, this flag configures the timer period to
period seconds. If the specified period is outside the
timer's range, an error message will be displayed and no
action will be taken.
-t This flag tickles an external mode timer.
-u Arm timer in user tickle mode.
-x Arm timer in a modified user tickle mode: closing the device
will not disarm the timer.
FILES
/dev/watchdog the system monitor watchdog timer device
SEE ALSO
acpiwdrt(4), evbarm/iopwdog(4), i386/elansc(4), i386/gcscpcib(4),
i386/geodewdog(4), ipmi(4), itesio(4), pcweasel(4), pwdog(4), swwdog(4),
x86/tco(4)
HISTORY
The wdogctl command first appeared in NetBSD 1.6.
AUTHORS
The wdogctl command and the NetBSD watchdog timer framework were written
by Jason R. Thorpe <thorpej@zembu.com>, and contributed by Zembu Labs,
Inc.
NetBSD 10.99 July 11, 2020 NetBSD 10.99