---
name: "pwdog"
section: "4"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pwdog"
---

# pwdog(4)

Quancom PWDOG1 watchdog timer device

## NAME

**pwdog** – Quancom PWDOG1 watchdog timer device

## SYNOPSIS

**pwdog0 at pci?**

## DESCRIPTION

The **pwdog** driver provides support for Quancom PWDOG1 boards.

If the kernel crashes, the watchdog timer is not reset and the system will reboot (assuming a proper connection is made between the PWDOG1 and the motherboard). Alternatively, the watchdog can be reinitialized via a userland process which ensures that process scheduling, not just kernel timeout processing, is still taking place. See [watchdog(4)](/watchdog/4.md) and [watchdogd(8)](/watchdogd/8.md) for more information.

The timeout period of the PWDOG1 card is set using DIP switches and cannot be changed by software.

## SEE ALSO

[intro(4)](/intro/4.md), [pci(4)](/pci/4.md), [watchdog(4)](/watchdog/4.md), [watchdogd(8)](/watchdogd/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **pwdog** driver first appeared in OpenBSD 4.1.

## AUTHORS

The **pwdog** driver was written by Marc Balmer ⟨*mbalmer@openbsd.org*⟩.