Special configuration in /etc/inittab
Keywords: sag

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# Special configuration in `/etc/inittab`

The `/etc/inittab` has some special features that allow `init` to react to special circumstances. These special features are marked by special keywords in the third field. Some examples:

`powerwait`
  Allows `init` to shut the system down, when the power fails. This assumes the use of a UPS, and software that watches the UPS and informs `init` that the power is off.

`ctrlaltdel`
  Allows `init` to reboot the system, when the user presses `control-alt-del` on the console keyboard. Note that the system administrator can configure the reaction to `C-A-D` to be something else instead, e.g., to be ignored, if the system is in a public location.

`sysinit`
  Command to be run when the system is booted. This command usually cleans up `/tmp` , for example.

The list above is not exhaustive. See your inittab (5) manual page for all possibilities, and for details on how to use the above ones.