Special configuration in /etc/inittab

Linux System Administrators Guide:
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# 9.4. 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 ctrl-alt-del on the console keyboard. Note that the system administrator can configure the reaction to ctrl-alt-del to be something else instead, e.g., to be ignored, if the system is in a public location. (Or to start nethack.)

`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` manual page for all possibilities, and for details on how to use the above ones.

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