UPDATE(8)

NAME
bdflush,update - push filesystem buffers to disk

SYNOPSIS
update [interval]
bdflush [interval]

DESCRIPTION
Update executes sync(2) every interval seconds. If called by root, it splits into two processes; one starts the kernel bdflush process, and the other periodically pushes some buffers out to disk. If called by a user, it simply sync()'s and exists.

Internal defaults to 5 seconds, but may be cranked up as far as the system will allow. If it's cranked very high, the system will not update unless it runs out of core buffers or you explicitly tell it to.

AUTHOR
David Parsons ( orc@pell.chi.il.us )

BUGS
This version of update was hacked up when I couldn't find the source of any of the more mainline update implementations. It is mercifully bereft of the ravages of usability.