1KERNEL-COMMAND-LINE(7) kernel-command-line KERNEL-COMMAND-LINE(7)
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6 kernel-command-line - Kernel command line parameters
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9 /proc/cmdline
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12 The kernel, the programs running in the initrd and in the host system
13 may be configured at boot via kernel command line arguments. In
14 addition, various systemd tools look at the EFI variable
15 "SystemdOptions" (if available). Both sources are combined, but the
16 kernel command line has higher priority. Please note that the EFI
17 variable is only used by systemd tools, and is ignored by the kernel
18 and other user space tools, so it is not a replacement for the kernel
19 command line.
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21 For command line parameters understood by the kernel, please see
22 kernel-parameters.html[1] and bootparam(7).
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24 For command line parameters understood by the initrd, see
25 dracut.cmdline(7), or the documentation of the specific initrd
26 implementation of your installation.
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29 systemd.unit=, rd.systemd.unit=, systemd.dump_core, systemd.crash_chvt,
30 systemd.crash_shell, systemd.crash_reboot, systemd.confirm_spawn,
31 systemd.service_watchdogs, systemd.show_status,
32 systemd.status_unit_format=, systemd.log_target=, systemd.log_level=,
33 systemd.log_location=, systemd.log_color, systemd.log_ratelimit_kmsg,
34 systemd.default_standard_output=, systemd.default_standard_error=,
35 systemd.setenv=, systemd.machine_id=, systemd.set_credential=,
36 systemd.set_credential_binary=, systemd.import_credentials=,
37 systemd.reload_limit_interval_sec=, systemd.reload_limit_burst=
38 Parameters understood by the system and service manager to control
39 system behavior. For details, see systemd(1).
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41 systemd.mask=, systemd.wants=, systemd.debug_shell
42 Additional parameters understood by systemd-debug-generator(8), to
43 mask or start specific units at boot, or invoke a debug shell on
44 tty9.
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46 systemd.run=, systemd.run_success_action=, systemd.run_failure_action=
47 Additional parameters understood by systemd-run-generator(8), to
48 run a command line specified on the kernel command line as system
49 service after booting up.
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51 systemd.early_core_pattern=
52 During early boot, the generation of core dump files is disabled
53 until a core dump handler (if any) takes over. This parameter
54 allows specifying an absolute path where core dump files should be
55 stored until a handler is installed. The path should be absolute
56 and may contain specifiers, see core(5) for details.
57
58 systemd.restore_state=
59 This parameter is understood by several system tools to control
60 whether or not they should restore system state from the previous
61 boot. For details, see systemd-backlight@.service(8) and systemd-
62 rfkill.service(8).
63
64 systemd.volatile=
65 This parameter controls whether the system shall boot up in
66 volatile mode. Takes a boolean argument, or the special value
67 "state". If false (the default), normal boot mode is selected, the
68 root directory and /var/ are mounted as specified on the kernel
69 command line or /etc/fstab, or otherwise configured. If true, full
70 state-less boot mode is selected. In this case the root directory
71 is mounted as volatile memory file system ("tmpfs"), and only /usr/
72 is mounted from the file system configured as root device, in
73 read-only mode. This enables fully state-less boots were the
74 vendor-supplied OS is used as shipped, with only default
75 configuration and no stored state in effect, as /etc/ and /var/ (as
76 well as all other resources shipped in the root file system) are
77 reset at boot and lost on shutdown. If this setting is set to
78 "state" the root file system is mounted read-only, however /var/ is
79 mounted as a volatile memory file system ("tmpfs"), so that the
80 system boots up with the normal configuration applied, but all
81 state reset at boot and lost at shutdown. If this setting is set to
82 "overlay" the root file system is set up as "overlayfs" mount
83 combining the read-only root directory with a writable "tmpfs", so
84 that no modifications are made to disk, but the file system may be
85 modified nonetheless with all changes being lost at reboot. For
86 details, see systemd-volatile-root.service(8) and systemd-fstab-
87 generator(8).
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89 quiet
90 Parameter understood by both the kernel and the system and service
91 manager to control console log verbosity. For details, see
92 systemd(1).
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94 debug
95 Parameter understood by both the kernel and the system and service
96 manager to control console log verbosity. For details, see
97 systemd(1).
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99 -b, rd.emergency, emergency, rd.rescue, rescue, single, s, S, 1, 2, 3,
100 4, 5
101 Parameters understood by the system and service manager, as
102 compatibility and convenience options. For details, see systemd(1).
103
104 locale.LANG=, locale.LANGUAGE=, locale.LC_CTYPE=, locale.LC_NUMERIC=,
105 locale.LC_TIME=, locale.LC_COLLATE=, locale.LC_MONETARY=,
106 locale.LC_MESSAGES=, locale.LC_PAPER=, locale.LC_NAME=,
107 locale.LC_ADDRESS=, locale.LC_TELEPHONE=, locale.LC_MEASUREMENT=,
108 locale.LC_IDENTIFICATION=
109 Parameters understood by the system and service manager to control
110 locale and language settings. For details, see systemd(1).
111
112 fsck.mode=, fsck.repair=
113 Parameters understood by the file system checker services. For
114 details, see systemd-fsck@.service(8).
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116 quotacheck.mode=
117 Parameter understood by the file quota checker service. For
118 details, see systemd-quotacheck.service(8).
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120 systemd.journald.forward_to_syslog=, systemd.journald.forward_to_kmsg=,
121 systemd.journald.forward_to_console=, systemd.journald.forward_to_wall=
122 Parameters understood by the journal service. For details, see
123 systemd-journald.service(8).
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125 vconsole.keymap=, vconsole.keymap_toggle=, vconsole.font=,
126 vconsole.font_map=, vconsole.font_unimap=
127 Parameters understood by the virtual console setup logic. For
128 details, see vconsole.conf(5).
129
130 udev.log_level=, rd.udev.log_level=, udev.children_max=,
131 rd.udev.children_max=, udev.exec_delay=, rd.udev.exec_delay=,
132 udev.event_timeout=, rd.udev.event_timeout=, udev.timeout_signal=,
133 rd.udev.timeout_signal=, udev.blockdev_read_only,
134 rd.udev.blockdev_read_only, net.ifnames=, net.naming-scheme=
135 Parameters understood by the device event managing daemon. For
136 details, see systemd-udevd.service(8).
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138 plymouth.enable=
139 May be used to disable the Plymouth boot splash. For details, see
140 plymouth(8).
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142 luks=, rd.luks=, luks.crypttab=, rd.luks.crypttab=, luks.name=,
143 rd.luks.name=, luks.uuid=, rd.luks.uuid=, luks.options=,
144 rd.luks.options=, luks.key=, rd.luks.key=
145 Configures the LUKS full-disk encryption logic at boot. For
146 details, see systemd-cryptsetup-generator(8).
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148 fstab=, rd.fstab=
149 Configures the /etc/fstab logic at boot. For details, see systemd-
150 fstab-generator(8).
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152 root=, rootfstype=, rootflags=, ro, rw
153 Configures the root file system and its file system type and mount
154 options, as well as whether it shall be mounted read-only or
155 read-write initially. For details, see systemd-fstab-generator(8).
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157 If root= is not set (or set to "gpt-auto") the automatic root
158 partition discovery implemented by systemd-gpt-auto-generator(8)
159 will be in effect. In this case rootfstype=, rootflags=, ro, rw
160 will be interpreted by systemd-gpt-auto-generator.
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162 mount.usr=, mount.usrfstype=, mount.usrflags=
163 Configures the /usr file system (if required) and its file system
164 type and mount options. For details, see systemd-fstab-
165 generator(8).
166
167 veritytab=, rd.veritytab=, roothash=, systemd.verity=,
168 rd.systemd.verity=, systemd.verity_root_data=,
169 systemd.verity_root_hash=, systemd.verity.root_options=, usrhash=,
170 systemd.verity_usr_data=, systemd.verity_usr_hash=,
171 systemd.verity_usr_options=
172 Configures the integrity protection root hash for the root and /usr
173 file systems, and other related parameters. For details, see
174 systemd-veritysetup-generator(8).
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176 systemd.getty_auto=
177 Configures whether the serial-getty@.service will run. For details,
178 see systemd-getty-generator(8).
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180 systemd.gpt_auto=, rd.systemd.gpt_auto=
181 Configures whether GPT-based partition auto-discovery shall be
182 attempted. For details, see systemd-gpt-auto-generator(8).
183
184 systemd.image_policy=, rd.systemd.image_policy=
185 When GPT-based partition auto-discovery is used, configures the
186 image dissection policy string to apply, as per systemd.image-
187 policy(7). For details see systemd-gpt-auto-generator(8).
188
189 systemd.default_timeout_start_sec=
190 Overrides the default start job timeout DefaultTimeoutStartSec= at
191 boot. For details, see systemd-system.conf(5).
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193 systemd.default_device_timeout_sec=
194 Overrides the default device timeout DefaultDeviceTimeoutSec= at
195 boot. For details, see systemd-system.conf(5).
196
197 systemd.watchdog_device=
198 Overrides the watchdog device path WatchdogDevice=. For details,
199 see systemd-system.conf(5).
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201 systemd.watchdog_sec=
202 Overrides the watchdog timeout settings otherwise configured with
203 RuntimeWatchdog=, RebootWatchdog= and KExecWatchdogSec=. Takes a
204 time value (if no unit is specified, seconds is the implicitly
205 assumed time unit) or the special strings "off" or "default". For
206 details, see systemd-system.conf(5).
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208 systemd.watchdog_pre_sec=
209 Overrides the watchdog pre-timeout settings otherwise configured
210 with RuntimeWatchdogPreSec=. Takes a time value (if no unit is
211 specified, seconds is the implicitly assumed time unit) or the
212 special strings "off" or "default". For details, see systemd-
213 system.conf(5).
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215 systemd.watchdog_pretimeout_governor=
216 Overrides the watchdog pre-timeout settings otherwise configured
217 with RuntimeWatchdogPreGovernor=. Takes a string value. For
218 details, see systemd-system.conf(5).
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220 systemd.cpu_affinity=
221 Overrides the CPU affinity mask for the service manager and the
222 default for all child processes it forks. This takes precedence
223 over CPUAffinity=, see systemd-system.conf(5) for details.
224
225 modules_load=, rd.modules_load=
226 Load a specific kernel module early at boot. For details, see
227 systemd-modules-load.service(8).
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229 nameserver=, domain=
230 Configures DNS server information and search domains, see systemd-
231 resolved.service(8) for details.
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233 resume=, resumeflags=
234 Enables resume from hibernation using the specified device and
235 mount options. All fstab(5)-like paths are supported. For details,
236 see systemd-hibernate-resume-generator(8).
237
238 systemd.firstboot=
239 Takes a boolean argument, defaults to on. If off, systemd-
240 firstboot.service(8) will not query the user for basic system
241 settings, even if the system boots up for the first time and the
242 relevant settings are not initialized yet. Not to be confused with
243 systemd.condition-first-boot= (see below), which overrides the
244 result of the ConditionFirstBoot= unit file condition, and thus
245 controls more than just systemd-firstboot.service behaviour.
246
247 systemd.condition-needs-update=
248 Takes a boolean argument. If specified, overrides the result of
249 ConditionNeedsUpdate= unit condition checks. See systemd.unit(5)
250 for details.
251
252 systemd.condition-first-boot=
253 Takes a boolean argument. If specified, overrides the result of
254 ConditionFirstBoot= unit condition checks. See systemd.unit(5) for
255 details. Not to be confused with systemd.firstboot= which only
256 controls behaviour of the systemd-firstboot.service system service
257 but has no effect on the condition check (see above).
258
259 systemd.clock-usec=
260 Takes a decimal, numeric timestamp in μs since January 1st 1970,
261 00:00am, to set the system clock to. The system time is set to the
262 specified timestamp early during boot. It is not propagated to the
263 hardware clock (RTC).
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265 systemd.random-seed=
266 Takes a base64 encoded random seed value to credit with full
267 entropy to the kernel's random pool during early service manager
268 initialization. This option is useful in testing environments where
269 delays due to random pool initialization in entropy starved virtual
270 machines shall be avoided.
271
272 Note that if this option is used the seed is accessible to
273 unprivileged programs from /proc/cmdline. This option is hence a
274 security risk when used outside of test systems, since the
275 (possibly) only seed used for initialization of the kernel's
276 entropy pool might be easily acquired by unprivileged programs.
277
278 It is recommended to pass 512 bytes of randomized data (as that
279 matches the Linux kernel pool size), which may be generated with a
280 command like the following:
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282 dd if=/dev/urandom bs=512 count=1 status=none | base64 -w 0
283
284 Again: do not use this option outside of testing environments, it's
285 a security risk elsewhere, as secret key material derived from the
286 entropy pool can possibly be reconstructed by unprivileged
287 programs.
288
289 systemd.hostname=
290 Accepts a hostname to set during early boot. If specified takes
291 precedence over what is set in /etc/hostname. Note that this does
292 not bar later runtime changes to the hostname, it simply controls
293 the initial hostname set during early boot.
294
295 systemd.tty.term.tty=, systemd.tty.rows.tty=, systemd.tty.columns.tty=
296 These arguments allow configuring default values for $TERM,
297 TTYRows=, and TTYColumns= for tty tty. Additionally,
298 systemd.tty.term.console will configure the $TERM value used by
299 systemd if not set explicitly using TERM on the kernel command
300 line. The tty name should be specified without the /dev/ prefix
301 (e.g. "systemd.tty.rows.ttyS0=80").
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304 systemd 252
305 Kernel command-line arguments systemd.unified_cgroup_hierarchy and
306 systemd.legacy_systemd_cgroup_controller were deprecated. Please
307 switch to the unified cgroup hierarchy.
308
310 systemd(1), systemd-system.conf(5), bootparam(7), systemd.system-
311 credentials(7) smbios-type-11(7), dracut.cmdline(7), systemd-debug-
312 generator(8), systemd-fsck@.service(8), systemd-quotacheck.service(8),
313 systemd-journald.service(8), systemd-vconsole-setup.service(8),
314 systemd-udevd.service(8), plymouth(8), systemd-cryptsetup-generator(8),
315 systemd-veritysetup-generator(8), systemd-fstab-generator(8), systemd-
316 getty-generator(8), systemd-gpt-auto-generator(8), systemd-volatile-
317 root.service(8), systemd-modules-load.service(8), systemd-
318 backlight@.service(8), systemd-rfkill.service(8), systemd-hibernate-
319 resume-generator(8), systemd-firstboot.service(8), bootctl(1)
320
322 1. kernel-parameters.html
323 https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.html
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327systemd 254 KERNEL-COMMAND-LINE(7)