Detect Hard and Soft Lockups

modulename: watchdog.ko

configname: CONFIG_LOCKUP_DETECTOR

Linux Kernel Configuration
└─>Detect Hard and Soft Lockups
In linux kernel since version 2.6.36 (release Date: 2010-10-20)  
Say Y here to enable the kernel to act as a watchdog to detect
hard and soft lockups.

Softlockups are bugs that cause the kernel to loop in kernel
mode for more than 60 seconds, without giving other tasks a
chance to run. The current stack trace is displayed upon
detection and the system will stay locked up.

Hardlockups are bugs that cause the CPU to loop in kernel mode
for more than 60 seconds, without letting other interrupts have a
chance to run. The current stack trace is displayed upon detection
and the system will stay locked up.

The overhead should be minimal. A periodic hrtimer runs to
generate interrupts and kick the watchdog task every 10-12 seconds.
An NMI is generated every 60 seconds or so to check for hardlockups.

source code: