Comments on: Debian and Ubuntu Linux Run Levels

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:23:20 +0000

There is an even easier way to install NVIDIA drivers for debian based distributions (like ubuntu).

1) Press Ctrl+Alt+F1 to go to tty1
2) Log in
3) enter “sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop” (without the quotes). This command will stop gnome display manager.
4) install NVIDIA drivers. (in order to install the drivers you may need the package build-essential – “sudo apt-get install build-essential”)
5) After installation completes successfully enter “sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start”
6) Enjoy your hardware accelerated desktop

By: shahbaz

shahbaz — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:40:39 +0000

Hi,
Can anybody tell me that how can I change run level 6. By mistake I have fix run level 6, now it is keep on rebooting, I am not able to work it out ?

Thanks

By: Admin

Admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:34:25 +0000

type the following command

startx

By: Oegarcia75

Oegarcia75 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:20:38 +0000

How do I change it back from command line login to Gnome login??

By: jcran

jcran — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:56:28 +0000

an easier version of this procedure:

1) boot up ubuntu to an X login screen
2) press ctrl-alt-1 to drop to a console login
3) login to the console
4) browse to the /etc/rc4.d/ directory ( ‘cd /etc/rc4.d’ )
5) move the S30gdm file to K30gdm ( ‘mv S30gdm K30gdm’ )
6) change runlevels to runlevel 4 using telinit ( ‘telinit 4′) *GNOME should stop*
7) run nvidia installer
when you’re finished, change back to default runlevel 3 ( ‘telinit 3′ )

jcran

By: Martin Braunstein

Martin Braunstein — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:25:49 +0000

@ Anthony Wrather

I too need this option in order to install a NVIDIA driver. After, I would like to by default to boot into x again. My question, how do I reverse you tip.

By: F4jr Pics

F4jr Pics — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:45:45 +0000

It works fine !

Thanks !

By: Anthony Wrather

Anthony Wrather — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:15:45 +0000

On Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10 you can use update-rc.d

sudo update-rc.d -f gdm remove
sudo update-rc.d gdm stop 01 0 1 6 .
sudo reboot

Then once the restarts you will be in console mode.

By: eskey

eskey — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:04:40 +0000

Easy Howto change runlevel 3 in ubuntu 8.04.x:

1. Install sysv-rc-conf
2. Start sysv-rc-conf
3. Remove gdm from runlevel 3.
4. Close sysc-rc-conf
5. Create /etc/inittab (if not exists)
6. Add/edit following line in /etc/inittab “id:3:initdefault:”
7. Reboot
8. Ubuntu starts on text mode

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:28:50 +0000

Great work, but on last ubuntu (aka Hardy Heron) version you have to add an “s” to default, (replace “#update-rc.d foo default” by “#update-rc.d foo defaults”).

By: Arstan

Arstan — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:27:49 +0000

Great indepth explanation of runlevels. Now for those who want to keep it simple, install a sysv-rc-conf package. It will make your configs easier.

By: Philippe

Philippe — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:48:16 +0000

I was wondering in a Debian system. The following boot sequence is followed.

* lilo or loadlin loads ram disk image
* kernel runs /linuxrc
* kernel runs /sbin/init
* /etc/init.d/rcS which runs:
* /etc/rcS.d/S* scripts
* Switch to Default runlevel (2 in our case).

Skipping runlevels 0 and 1.

Can someone confirm this? thank you

By: cameron

cameron — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:48:47 +0000

Alf Lacis;
if you want to just boot into the command line, rename /etc/rc3.d/S13gdm to /etc/rc3.d/s13gdm, and edit your /etc/inittab to default to init level 3, then reboot.

By: alf lacis

alf lacis — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 09:55:49 +0000

I’ve got ubuntu 6.10 & a NVIDIA driver, that
(a) wants no X Server running, but
(b) complains if I run at runlevel 1, saying that some required services won’t be available.
Under RedHat I would “init 3″ and proceed with the text-based (no X server) install quite happily.
What should I do?

By: metro305

metro305 — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:29:19 +0000

Thanks this was a exactly what I needed!

By: Admin

Admin — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 18:37:15 +0000

i am not sure if you are asking about GUI you need to install gnome or kde if you install any one of them the you can try to run the following command to get GUI mode

startx

hope this helps

By: Walid

Walid — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 18:14:51 +0000

Hi! Could you please tell me HOW TO CHANGE DISPLAY MODE (from console to graphic) IN RUNLELVEL 3 please ? Thanks