Debian Doku for RunLevel

Linux starts different services as different run levels. Depending on the run level various services become available:

• RunLevel 1: Single-user mode. Most basic mode. Only text console available.
• RunLevel 2: Multi-user mode. You can use different users.
• RunLevel 3: Networking is available.
• RunLevel 4: Reserved.
• RunLevel 5: Starts the GUI. This is the normal RunLevel.

This will change the RunLevel only for one startup.

1. Reboot
2. In the GRUB menue press 'e' to edit the boot configuration
3. Add a single '1' (for RunLevel 1) to the end of the line, which starts with linux

   linux	/vmlinuz-3.5.0-54-generic root=/dev/mapper/faramir-root ro 1

4. Press F10 to boot

This does not work on all Systems. Ubuntu does not seem to like this method. But it works on more basic system such as the Beagle Bone.

1. sudo init 1

Switch back to graphical mode

1. sudo init 5