Re: screen in single user mode - "cannot open /dev/console"

[Thomas Adam]

On Sun, 25 May 2008 09:25:40 -0500 (CDT)
Michael Parson <address@hidden> wrote:

> On Sat, 24 May 2008, soumen wrote:
> 
> <snip>
> 
> > Thanks to all for responding and sorry I couldn't reply earlier.
> >
> > I am using Ubuntu Linux (Gutsy Gibbon):
> >
> > $ uname -a
> > Linux loki 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Tue Feb 12 07:42:25 UTC 2008
> > i686 GNU/Linux
> >
> > By "single user mode" I talk of, I mean "single" parameter being
> > passed by Grub bootloader during startup:
> >
> > kernel        /vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic
> > root=UUID=7bb7e9b4-7134-430d-b2bb-cd33c45d0acd ro single
> > initrd          /initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic
> >
> > I am able to also reach this mode by doing "init 1". I understand
> > that this is supposed to be a spartan recovery mode or for
> > situations where you don't want multiple users.
> >
> > But in context of my home setup, I wanted to use this to avoid
> > starting up too many services/X/Gnome etc since all I want to do is
> > run some long-running command line programs (for which screen is
> > more than adequate and in fact, perfect). My intention is to use
> > least amount of CPU/memory.
> >
> > I have noticed that even in this "single" mode, there are services
> > like ntp running and the network interface is already configured so
> > I am able to access internet. So it is not that Nothing is running.
> 
> Then it is time to start learning how to admin a Linux (or any other
> UNIX) system. :)  Most of my Linux experience is with Red Hat, but I
> understand that Debian (and therefore Ubuntu) use the same sys-v init
> system that Red Hat uses.  If you don't want the graphical login,
> edit your /etc/inittab file and look for a line that looks something
> like:
> 
> id:5:initdefault:
> 
> And change it to be
> 
> id:3:initdefault:
> 
> 
> This changes the default runlevel from 5 to 3.
> 
> The sys-v init package on RedHat (and I'd guess Ubuntu/Debian),
> define runlevels as:

No.  This is unnecessary.  X11 is started in all runlevels 2->5 on a
Debian (and derived) system.  To disable X running in any one of those,
simply (as root):

update-rc.d -f xdm remove

Leave inittab alone, and don't assume next time.

-- Thomas Adam

-- 
"It was the cruelest game I've ever played and it's played inside my
head." -- "Hush The Warmth", Gorky's Zygotic Mynci.