> I've a stranged issue with openbsd 3.9.
>
> I've hacked the installer script to install openbsd automatically. Everything
> works fine excepted dmesg output.
>
> In a normal installation from CD, after N reboot, when I do a "dmesg", I've
> got only the LAST dmesg (the current boot). But with my installer, I've got
> all the dmesg following. To correct, I've a solution:
>
> I replace the
> dmesg > /var/run/dmesg.boot
> in /etc/rc by
> dmesg | sed -ne '/^OpenBSD /h;/^OpenBSD /!H;${g;p;}'
> >/var/run/dmesg.boot
>
> But it doesn't explain WHY i've got this stranged issue.
>
> In my installer, I've replaced every user input by a static value (for
> tested)
> and I did'nt touch something else.
If the kernel finds that the dmesg buffer in the kernel address space
is still intact after a reboot, it does not clear it. It continues to
append strings to it.
Some machines clear the dmesg buffer during their bootup process, as a
result of destructive memory testing. Others do not, and hence, you
will get the old and new dmesg's smashed together.
We specifically do things this way so that any crash-related data will
be retained.
