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470 AlterPath KVM/net Installation, Administration, and User’s Guide
Watchdog timer A watchdog timer (WDT) is a device or electronic card that
performs a specific operation after a certain period of time if
something goes wrong with an electronic system and the system
does not recover on its own.
A common problem is for a machine or operating system to lock
up if two parts or programs conflict, or, in an operating system, if
memory management trouble occurs. In some cases, the system
will eventually recover on its own, but this may take an unknown
and perhaps extended length of time.
A watchdog timer can be programmed to perform a warm boot
(restarting the system) after a certain number of seconds during
which a program or computer fails to respond following the most
recent mouse click or keyboard action.
The timer can also be used for other purposes, for example, to
actuate the refresh (or reload) button in a Web browser if a Web
site does not fully load after a certain length of time following the
entry of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).