How do you 'drop' to run level 3?

[Caitiff]

I have on occasion wanted to make changes to my XF86Config file, and wanted a quick way to re-initialize the desktop. If I log out, and try to use the option to restart the x-server, it doesn't seem to work as well as I'd like. I would also like to be able to end up on a command line sometimes after booting to KDE w/out having to completely shut down. This is stupid I know, but I can't find any way to do it!

[Strike]

Try init 3 as root.

[Caitiff]

Originally posted by Strike:
Try init 3 as root.

Okay, that'll work if I'm just booting, but if I do that from a GUI, it'll autmatically 'drop' me to just a command line????

[ille_pugil42]

in gnome (at least) you can click on
system->shutdown. That brings up a window. You can then click on advanced and click on init (or runlevel) 3.

[Strike]

Are you just looking to kill the X server? CTRL-ALT-BACKSPAGE will do that for you. Or if you use a display manager like xdm, gdm, or kdm. Just kill it as root.

[SMDo]

Strikes right, just kill the process for whatever window manager you are using and you get a command prompt.

There really isn't that much difference between the runlevels except what is started at boot up.

As to refreshing the X-server. I'm not sure about that one. I don't think you can do it from inside X. If you do find a way post it here. I'm sure others would like to know as well.

[Caitiff]

That sounds like the answer I was looking for. If I go into ps -aux (just the switches that tell me what I want) and look for the x server, and do a kill, that ONLY drops me to the command line, right? Then I can choose to re-init the X server w/out any problems, correct?

[Strike]

Originally posted by Caitiff:
That sounds like the answer I was looking for. If I go into ps -aux (just the switches that tell me what I want) and look for the x server, and do a kill, that ONLY drops me to the command line, right? Then I can choose to re-init the X server w/out any problems, correct?
Yes, but what I was saying earlier is that usually if you use graphical login screens that the X server will respawn itself and CTRL-ALT-BACKSPACE won't work, but killing the *dm process from X will. Yes, you will get dropped to a console. As long as you have a few basic processes running, you still have a prompt. Like init and login and a hand-full of kernel things and a (min)getty or 6 - all of that should be enough to have a prompt.

[mattmorrow]

You have several virtual consoles available from runlevel 5 that will give you the command line of runlevel 3. Try Ctrl-Alt-F3 to go from a runlevel 5 GUI session to a runlevel 3 command line session. Use Ctrl-Alt-F7 to toggle back. Hope this helps.

[arowland]

Originally posted by Caitiff:
That sounds like the answer I was looking for. If I go into ps -aux (just the switches that tell me what I want) and look for the x server, and do a kill, that ONLY drops me to the command line, right? Then I can choose to re-init the X server w/out any problems, correct?

Killing the X server should only kill the server and any X dependent processes. I reset my vidoe mode and re-started X with an audio CD running. The X server re-started, the CD rocked right along during the entire process, not even a hickup, and when X restared the CD console came back up with the current info. Try that in Windows. http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

p.s, the CD was playing through the sound card, not the CD audio out.

[This message has been edited by arowland (edited 19 October 2000).]

[X_Entity]

if you ever did actually want to drop to run level 3 I beleive you can do this with the "telinit 3" command
for more info refer to the man page for telinit.

[donxc2]

Originally posted by X_Entity:
if you ever did actually want to drop to run level 3 I beleive you can do this with the "telinit 3" command
for more info refer to the man page for telinit.
Be careful about telinit if you're running portsentry as it will kill itself when you telinit back to other runlevel. I have found this in my logs.



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stupid, old and a redneck. On top of that,.. ugly.

FTT and loving it.