How do I reload sysctl from sysctl.d directory?

I am making changes to a file in the /etc/sysctl.d directory (Ubuntu 12.04).

I know that sysctl -p reloads from /etc/sysctl.conf but it doesn't seem to work for anything under the /etc/sysctl.d/ directory. A reboot works, but I'd like to do it without a reboot.

Any suggestions?

2 Answers

As documented, for recent util-linux versions:

# Load settings from all system configuration filessysctl --system

For older versions (that is, if --system does not work):

# Load settings from /etc/sysctl.confsysctl -p

# Load settings from the specified filesysctl -p /etc/sysctl.d/<whatever>.conf

The README file in /etc/sysctl.d/ on an Ubuntu 12.04 system with procps 1:3.2.8-11ubuntu6.3 says to run:

service procps start

Which ends up running (via /etc/init/procps.conf) this:

cat /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf /etc/sysctl.conf | sysctl -e -p -