How To Edit My /etc/inittab To Boot Into VGA console mode (non-X)
 

Exactly how many lines (and which) need to be configured? I am tempted to change this line by replacing the 5 with 3:

id:5:initdefault:

but I don't know if that is all to it.

if you want to load the X server then put 5 instead of 3, or give
#startx

Thanks, you had the right idea.

Technically, I was asking to change FROM 5 to 3, but I got the point. Thanks.

Or in RH9 just type init 3 as root in a terminal and it'll kill X and dump you in runlevel 3.