When is the content of the kernel ring buffer reset?

The content of the kernel ring buffer is reset when the ring buffer is explicitly reset using the command dmesg --clear or when the system is shut down or rebooted. The kernel ring buffer is a portion of the physical memory that holds the kernel’s log messages. It has a fixed size, which means once the buffer is full, the older logs records are overwritten. The dmesg command-line utility is used to print and control the kernel ring buffer in Linux and other Unix-like operating systems1. The dmesg --clear option clears the ring buffer’s contents, which can be useful for debugging purposes or to free up some memory2. The systemshutdown or reboot also clears the ring buffer’s contents, as the physical memory is reset and the kernel is reloaded3.

The other options are false or irrelevant. The ring buffer is not reset when it is read using dmesg without any additional parameters, as this option only displays the current contents of the buffer without modifying them2. The ring buffer is not reset when a configurable amount of time, 15 minutes by default, has passed, as there is no such time limit for the buffer’s persistence4. The ring buffer is not reset when the kernel loads a previously unloaded kernel module, as this action only affects the kernel’s functionality and not its log messages5. References:

Dmesg Command in Linux | Linuxize1

dmesg(1) - Linux manual page2

Linux Dmesg Command Help and Examples - Computer Hope3

Lockless Ring Buffer Design — The Linux Kernel documentation4

Linux Kernel Module Management 101 - Linux.com5