bsd man page for sync

SYNC(2) 							System Calls Manual							   SYNC(2)

NAME
       sync - update super-block

SYNOPSIS
       sync()

DESCRIPTION
       Sync  causes  all  information  in  core memory that should be on disk to be written out.  This includes modified super blocks, modified i-
       nodes, and delayed block I/O.

       Sync should be used by programs that examine a file system, for example fsck, df, etc.  Sync is mandatory before a boot.

SEE ALSO
       fsync(2), sync(8), update(8)

BUGS
       The writing, although scheduled, is not necessarily complete upon return from sync.

4th Berkeley Distribution					   June 30, 1985							   SYNC(2)