PANIC(9) BSD Kernel Developer's Manual PANIC(9)NAME
panic -- bring down system on fatal error
SYNOPSIS
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/systm.h>
void
panic(const char *fmt, ...);
DESCRIPTION
The panic() function terminates the running system. The message fmt is a printf(3) style format string. The message is printed to the con-
sole and the location panicstr is set to the address of the message text for retrieval from the OS core dump.
If the kernel debugger is installed control is passed to it, otherwise an attempt to save a core dump of the OS to a configured dump device
is made.
If panic() is called twice (from the disk sync routines, for example) the system is rebooted without syncing the disks.
RETURN VALUES
The panic() function does not return.
BSD August 11, 1995 BSD
Check Out this Related Man Page
savecore(8) System Manager's Manual savecore(8)Name
savecore - save a core dump of the operating system
Syntax
/etc/savecore [ options ] dirname [ system ] [ corename ]
Description
The command is meant to be called near the end of the file. The command saves the core dump of the system (assuming one was made) and
writes a reboot message in the shutdown log.
The command checks the core dump to be certain it corresponds with the current running ULTRIX. If it does, it saves the core image in the
file dirname/vmcore.n and saves the namelist in the file dirname/vmunix.n. The trailing .n in the pathnames is replaced by a number which
increments each time is run in that directory.
After saving the core and namelist images, will save the error logger buffer into a predetermined file. The error logger buffer contains
information about why the crash occurred. After completes, the daemon will extract the error logger file and translate its contents into a
form familiar to the program.
Before writes out a core image, it reads a number from the file dirname/minfree. If there are fewer free blocks on the filesystem that
contains dirname than the number obtained from the file, a core dump is not done. If the file does not exist, savecore always writes out
the core file (assuming that a core dump was taken).
The command also writes a reboot message in the shut down log. If the system crashed as a result of a panic, also records the panic string
in the shut down log.
For partial crash dumps, creates a sparse core image file in dirname/vmcore.n. If this sparse core image file is copied or moved to
another location, the file expands to its true size which can take too much file system space. Hence, to copy or move sparse core image
files, you must use the command. The command has a conversion option to create sparse output files.
Options-c Clears the core dump. This option is useful when the core dump is corrupted in a way that will not allow to save it safely. Use the
option with caution, because once it clears the core dump, the core dump cannot be retrieved.
-d dumpdev dumplo
Specifies the dump device and the dump offset when running on a system image other than the currently running system image. The pro-
gram assumes that the running system image is and it reads the dump device and dump device offset are different in the system image
that crashed, the option provides the correct dump device and dump device offset.
-e Saves only the error logger buffer into a file. If used, core or namelist images are not saved.
-f corename
Takes the i corefile name as the file from which to extract the the crash dump data instead of the default dump device. This option
is used only for diskless workstations.
If the core dump was from a system other than /vmunix, the name of that system must be supplied as system. The program assumes that the
running image is
After successful completion, the core dump is cleared. Also, a message is written in the file which tells whether the dump succeeded or
failed.
Files
Shut down log
Current running ULTRIX system
See Alsodd(1), uerf(8)savecore(8)