Booting to a console login
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| - | You can tell GRUB to boot you into any runlevel you want by simply appending the number onto the GRUB command line before hitting enter. It is recommended that you actually PRACTICE doing some things at run-level-3, so that you're comfortable there, in anticipation of the time when you'll need to make minor 'repairs'. Note that since the network is running, you can install/remove software and drivers, and make changes to files. | + | You can tell GRUB to boot you into any runlevel you want by simply appending the number onto the GRUB command line before hitting enter. It is recommended that you actually PRACTICE doing some things at runlevel-3, so that you're comfortable there, in anticipation of the time when you'll need to make minor 'repairs'. Note that since the network is running, you can install/remove software and drivers, and make changes to files. |
| - | [To edit files at run-level-3, you'll need a non-GUI-based editor such as the newbie-friendly 'nano'. If that is NOT installed, just install it by running the root-cmd 'apt-get install nano'.] | + | [To edit files at runlevel-3, you'll need a non-GUI-based editor such as the newbie-friendly 'nano'. If that is NOT installed, just install it by running the root-cmd 'apt-get install nano'. In a similar fashion, you can even browse the Internet, using a non-GUI browser, such as 'lynx'.] |
| - | [As an alternative to using run-level-3 to repair the system, you can instead bootup the MEPIS LiveCD, as it | + | [As an alternative to using run-level-3 to repair the system, you can instead bootup the MEPIS LiveCD, as it likewise supports various 'repair' operations (of the installed system).] |
| - | likewise supports various 'repair' operations (of the installed system).] | + | |
Revision as of 16:40, 1 November 2009
In some cases, you may find it helpful to boot to a console-only logon:
e.g. When X-Windows(GUI) is having troubles displaying right (to repair X-Windows or switch graphics drivers)
e.g. When you're on a slow machine and just don't need the GUI to do what you want to do.
You can tell GRUB to boot you into any runlevel you want by simply appending the number onto the GRUB command line before hitting enter. It is recommended that you actually PRACTICE doing some things at runlevel-3, so that you're comfortable there, in anticipation of the time when you'll need to make minor 'repairs'. Note that since the network is running, you can install/remove software and drivers, and make changes to files.
[To edit files at runlevel-3, you'll need a non-GUI-based editor such as the newbie-friendly 'nano'. If that is NOT installed, just install it by running the root-cmd 'apt-get install nano'. In a similar fashion, you can even browse the Internet, using a non-GUI browser, such as 'lynx'.]
[As an alternative to using run-level-3 to repair the system, you can instead bootup the MEPIS LiveCD, as it likewise supports various 'repair' operations (of the installed system).]
The following runlevels are default for the Mepis CD:
| Runlevel | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | Halt (power down) |
| 1 | Single-user mode |
| 2 | Multiuser with no network |
| 3 | Console logon, network is running, but no X-Windows (i.e. no GUI) |
| 4 | Not used/Custom |
| 5 | Default GUI logon |
| 6 | Reboot |
Runlevels can be customized to start or stop different services, either using a graphical utility like KsysV, or command line utilities like update-rc.d.
