An unexpected patch on the Linux kernel mailing list today by a Siemens engineer is implementing a driver for the Intel Over-Clocking Watchdog.

This new driver is for implementing an Intel OC Watchdog driver for the support found in modern Intel PCH chipsets. Yes, the "OC" is for over-clocking and the patch is coming from a Siemens engineer complete with a "Siemens SA" copyright on the new open-source driver code.

This Intel OC Watchdog driver for Linux is a simple watchdog driver and matches to the Intel INT3F0D and INTC1099 device IDs. These IDs match to the Intel Watchdog Timer "WDT" Driver on Microsoft Windows. The overclocking aspect isn't entirely clear short of the watchdog intended to catch a faulty/unstable overclock but again somewhat amusing in that case it coming from Siemens. This Intel PCH watchdog may very well be useful outside the confines of strictly overclocking stability.

In any event for those curious this Intel Overclocking Watchdog driver is out for review on the [1]Linux kernel mailing list .



[1] https://lore.kernel.org/linux-acpi/20250311-ivo-intel_oc_wdt-v1-1-fd470460d9f5@siemens.com/