diff -c -r linux.orig/drivers/char/rtc.c linux/drivers/char/rtc.c
*** linux.orig/drivers/char/rtc.c	Fri Jan 15 01:58:47 1999
--- linux/drivers/char/rtc.c	Wed Jul 26 14:54:46 2000
***************
*** 98,103 ****
--- 98,105 ----
  
  #define RTC_IS_OPEN		0x01	/* means /dev/rtc is in use	*/
  #define RTC_TIMER_ON		0x02	/* missed irq timer active	*/
+ #define RTC_PERSIST             0x04    /* Tells us whether RTC wishes
+                                            to keep its alarm setup */
  
  unsigned char rtc_status = 0;		/* bitmapped status byte.	*/
  unsigned long rtc_freq = 0;		/* Current periodic IRQ rate	*/
***************
*** 413,418 ****
--- 415,440 ----
  		restore_flags(flags);
  		return 0;
  	}
+ 	case RTC_PERSIST_READ:
+ 	{
+ 		unsigned long persist = 0;
+ 		persist = (rtc_status & RTC_PERSIST) == RTC_PERSIST;
+ 		return put_user(persist, (unsigned long*) arg);
+ 	}
+ 	case RTC_PERSIST_SET:
+ 	{
+ 		if (!capable(CAP_SYS_TIME))
+ 			return -EACCES;
+ 
+ 		if (arg)
+ 			rtc_status |= RTC_PERSIST;
+ 		else
+ 			rtc_status &= ~RTC_PERSIST;
+ 
+ 		return 0;
+ 	}
+ 
+                 
  #ifdef __alpha__
  	case RTC_EPOCH_READ:	/* Read the epoch.	*/
  	{
***************
*** 469,475 ****
  	cli();
  	tmp = CMOS_READ(RTC_CONTROL);
  	tmp &=  ~RTC_PIE;
! 	tmp &=  ~RTC_AIE;
  	tmp &=  ~RTC_UIE;
  	CMOS_WRITE(tmp, RTC_CONTROL);
  	CMOS_READ(RTC_INTR_FLAGS);
--- 491,505 ----
  	cli();
  	tmp = CMOS_READ(RTC_CONTROL);
  	tmp &=  ~RTC_PIE;
! 
! 	/* If persist flag is set, we dont want to clear out the
! 	 * alarm on close.  Also note that we dont want to 
! 	 * clear RTC_PERSIST on close either!  We want it preserved
! 	 * across open/close once its set.
! 	*/
! 	if ((rtc_status & RTC_PERSIST) != RTC_PERSIST)
! 		tmp &=  ~RTC_AIE;
! 
  	tmp &=  ~RTC_UIE;
  	CMOS_WRITE(tmp, RTC_CONTROL);
  	CMOS_READ(RTC_INTR_FLAGS);
***************
*** 668,674 ****
  		     "update_IRQ\t: %s\n"
  		     "periodic_IRQ\t: %s\n"
  		     "periodic_freq\t: %ld\n"
! 		     "batt_status\t: %s\n",
  		     (ctrl & RTC_DST_EN) ? "yes" : "no",
  		     (ctrl & RTC_DM_BINARY) ? "no" : "yes",
  		     (ctrl & RTC_24H) ? "yes" : "no",
--- 698,705 ----
  		     "update_IRQ\t: %s\n"
  		     "periodic_IRQ\t: %s\n"
  		     "periodic_freq\t: %ld\n"
! 		     "batt_status\t: %s\n"
! 		     "persist\t\t: %s\n",
  		     (ctrl & RTC_DST_EN) ? "yes" : "no",
  		     (ctrl & RTC_DM_BINARY) ? "no" : "yes",
  		     (ctrl & RTC_24H) ? "yes" : "no",
***************
*** 677,683 ****
  		     (ctrl & RTC_UIE) ? "yes" : "no",
  		     (ctrl & RTC_PIE) ? "yes" : "no",
  		     rtc_freq,
! 		     batt ? "okay" : "dead");
  
  	return  p - buf;
  }
--- 708,715 ----
  		     (ctrl & RTC_UIE) ? "yes" : "no",
  		     (ctrl & RTC_PIE) ? "yes" : "no",
  		     rtc_freq,
! 		     batt ? "okay" : "dead", 
! 		     (rtc_status & RTC_PERSIST) ? "yes" : "no");
  
  	return  p - buf;
  }
diff -c -r linux.orig/include/linux/mc146818rtc.h linux/include/linux/mc146818rtc.h
*** linux.orig/include/linux/mc146818rtc.h	Tue May 11 13:37:15 1999
--- linux/include/linux/mc146818rtc.h	Wed Jul 26 13:35:53 2000
***************
*** 144,149 ****
--- 144,151 ----
  #define RTC_IRQP_SET	_IOW('p', 0x0c, unsigned long)	 /* Set IRQ rate    */
  #define RTC_EPOCH_READ	_IOR('p', 0x0d, unsigned long)	 /* Read epoch      */
  #define RTC_EPOCH_SET	_IOW('p', 0x0e, unsigned long)	 /* Set epoch       */
+ #define RTC_PERSIST_READ _IOR('p', 0x0f, unsigned long)  /* get persist flag*/
+ #define RTC_PERSIST_SET _IOW('p', 0x10, unsigned long)   /* set persist flag*/
  
  
  #endif /* _MC146818RTC_H */