---
name: "dmesg"
section: "8"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dmesg/8"
---

# dmesg(8)

display the system message buffer

## NAME

**dmesg** – display the system message buffer

## SYNOPSIS

**dmesg** \[**-s**\] \[**-M** *core*\] \[**-N** *system*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**dmesg** displays the contents of the system message buffer. It is most commonly used to review system startup messages. On some systems the message buffer can survive reboot and be retained (in the hope of exposing information from a crash).

The options are as follows:

- **-M** *core*

  Extract values associated with the name list from the specified *core* instead of the default */dev/kmem*.

- **-N** *system*

  Extract the name list from the specified *system* instead of the default */bsd*.

- **-s**

  Display the contents of the console message buffer instead. This can be used to review [rc(8)](/rc/8.md) system startup messages. This option is limited to the superuser.

## FILES

- */var/run/dmesg.boot*

  copy of **dmesg** saved by [rc(8)](/rc/8.md) at boot time

## SEE ALSO

[syslogd(8)](/syslogd/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **dmesg** command appeared in Version 7 AT&T UNIX.