[PATCH 2/2] power: Add warning message about incorrect system date and time after resume when pm_trace is enabled

[PATCH 2/2] power: Add warning message about incorrect system date and time after resume when pm_trace is enabled

[Shuah Khan]

pm_trace uses the system's Real Time Clock (RTC) to save the magic number.
Reason for this is that the RTC is the only reliably available piece of
hardware during resume operations where a value can be set that will
survive a reboot.

Consequence is that after a resume (even if it is successful) your system
clock will have a value corresponding to the magic number instead of the
correct date/time! It is therefore advisable to use a program like ntp-date
or rdate to reset the correct date/time from an external time source when
using this trace option.

There is no run-time message to warn users of the consequences of enabling
pm_trace. Adding a warning message to pm_trace_store() will serve as a
reminder to users to set the system date and time after resume.

Signed-off-by: Shuah Khan <shuah.kh@samsung.com>
---
 kernel/power/main.c |    1 +
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)

diff --git a/kernel/power/main.c b/kernel/power/main.c
index d77663b..4f769a6 100644
--- a/kernel/power/main.c
+++ b/kernel/power/main.c
@@ -528,6 +528,7 @@ pm_trace_store(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_attribute *attr,
 
 	if (sscanf(buf, "%d", &val) == 1) {
 		pm_trace_enabled = !!val;
+		pr_warn("CAUTION: this option will cause your machine's real-time clock to be set to an invalid time after a resume. Remember to set correct time after resume\n");
 		return n;
 	}
 	return -EINVAL;
-- 
1.7.10.4

Re: [PATCH 2/2] power: Add warning message about incorrect system date and time after resume when pm_trace is enabled

[Rafael J. Wysocki]

On Wednesday, June 19, 2013 10:15:18 AM Shuah Khan wrote:
> pm_trace uses the system's Real Time Clock (RTC) to save the magic number.
> Reason for this is that the RTC is the only reliably available piece of
> hardware during resume operations where a value can be set that will
> survive a reboot.
> 
> Consequence is that after a resume (even if it is successful) your system
> clock will have a value corresponding to the magic number instead of the
> correct date/time! It is therefore advisable to use a program like ntp-date
> or rdate to reset the correct date/time from an external time source when
> using this trace option.
> 
> There is no run-time message to warn users of the consequences of enabling
> pm_trace. Adding a warning message to pm_trace_store() will serve as a
> reminder to users to set the system date and time after resume.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Shuah Khan <shuah.kh@samsung.com>
> ---
>  kernel/power/main.c |    1 +
>  1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)
> 
> diff --git a/kernel/power/main.c b/kernel/power/main.c
> index d77663b..4f769a6 100644
> --- a/kernel/power/main.c
> +++ b/kernel/power/main.c
> @@ -528,6 +528,7 @@ pm_trace_store(struct kobject *kobj, struct kobj_attribute *attr,
>  
>  	if (sscanf(buf, "%d", &val) == 1) {
>  		pm_trace_enabled = !!val;
> +		pr_warn("CAUTION: this option will cause your machine's real-time clock to be set to an invalid time after a resume. Remember to set correct time after resume\n");
>  		return n;

Can you please make it short so that it fits a single line?

Or at least print two separate lines that will fit 80 chars wide screen each?

>  	}
>  	return -EINVAL;
> 

Thanks,
Rafael


-- 
I speak only for myself.
Rafael J. Wysocki, Intel Open Source Technology Center.