ich tco watchdog driver / sdk / service on windows

[Anton_B_1]

Hello everybody,

I wrote a post on the processor forum (https://communities.intel.com/thread/107531) and was redirected to this forum instead so I am posting the same question here instead.

I am a software developer for a company where we deliver full hardware and software solutions running on both Linux and Windows.

On Linux we are able to use the hardware watchdog for Intel chipset that support it without any issues since there is already a tco watchdog driver available. However on Windows currently we don't have watchdog support. I have been searching the web for information regarding Intel watchdog drivers / sdk / services on Windows but I have found nothing  so far to my surprise (besides technical documentation such as  http://download.intel.com/design/chipsets/applnots/29227301.pdf)..

I have noticed that the Intel XTU program on Windows does include a watchdog driver (iccwdt.sys) so clearly Intel does have watchdog drivers for Windows but is there any code available so we can communicate with it? I am not a driver developer and I would like to avoid having to write my own driver since it is not my domain, surely Intel must already have a workable solution for this?

I appreciate all feedback!

[BelindaLiviero]

Hi Anton,

we are finding the internal experts to look into this.   Can you share what you are trying to accomplish with this watchdog functionality?

[Anton_B_1]

Hello Belinda,

We want to arm and feed the watchdog from our own application so that if the system hangs entirely  it will reboot.

[Anton_B_1]

Hello again,

Can we please get an update on this issue?

[Joseph_O_Intel1]

Hello Anton

I have asked around and talked with some of the PCH architects and we are guessing that we are refereeing to the overclocking watch dog timer in the pch, commonly referred to as the overclocking watchdog timer.    If you can give us more details and a specific chip set you are developing for, we can find the information requested.

Joe

[Anton_B_1]

Hello Joseph,

We are interested in supporting J1900 but ideally we would like to have watchdog support for all chipsets that support it. On Linux we are able to arm and feed all supported watchdogs with the watchdog daemon, we simply would like to have the same functionality on Windows.

[Joseph_O_Intel1]

Sorry for the delay, but I am still trying to get info from the developers

[Anton_B_1]

I appreciate the help Joseph!

[Joseph_O_Intel1]

Hey Anton

Can you specifically tell us in regards to Linux, which watchdogs are you arming/feeding? Then we can figure out which ones are available in windows that you are requesting information on. If needed feel free to use a PM for these details.

Joe

[Robert_L_5]

Joseph,

I am also interested in getting the SDK to interface with the watchdog time from Windows 7. I am using the Intel Core i7-3555LE processor and the Intel QM67 chipset. I am writing software that monitors the status of several Windows Services and processes. If one of these services or processes hangs or crashes (including the monitoring software) I need the processor to reboot.

Have you been able to find out anything about this?

[Joseph_O_Intel1]

Hey 

The hardware we are discussing complies to ACPI specifications, as such I beleive the following link should answer your questions

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg463320.aspx

Joe

[3Ukra]

Good afternoon.

Tell me, please, did anyone manage to find or write the OS boot watchdog timer driver?

On the Internet there is information that such software exists, but I can not download it.

Judging by the information previously existed some kind of demon for x64 platforms. Maybe someone left a copy of it?

I would be grateful for any help.

This is some post from microsoft community with links:

I note that this is utterly trivial under Linux (via the iTCO_wdt.ko kernel driver and /dev/watchdog), but cannot find anything that provides support for the ICH WDT in Windows.

The hardware is well-known and documented in an Intel application note:

http://download.intel.com/design/chipsets/applnots/29227301.pdf

I came across a thread from last year on the Intel support forum where a WDT-SDK.ZIP download is mentioned that appears to contain both binary drivers and application API, but it's gone from Intel's website :(

https://communities.intel.com/message/266155

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=24393&lang=eng&ProdId=3779 ; <- no longer exists :(

There are references to a device driver on many 'what is this file' website eg:

http://www.shouldiremoveit.com/Intel-Watchdog-Timer-Driver-Intel-WDT-11568-program.aspx

..but of course I cannot find any applicable download which may contain the driver for my system (Windows XP [32-bit] on an HP DX2420 - yes I know it's obsolete, I have very little choice here!)

Suggestions please? Right now I'm seriously considering trying to get the legacy software running under Wine.. or moving to a Linux version, but that's years of known behaviour and testing thrown away..