Need to get into shell not gui!
 

This must be such a basic basic question, but I cant find any reference anywhere on the net.

How do I stop GNOME from loading so I just get the shell?

I installed ATI graphics drivers and I must have done something wrong because now whenever GNOME starts up I just get a blank screen, but I dont know how to stop it from loading so I can reinstall the driver from the shell.

Also, if anyone knows any good tutorials with basic stuff like this covered I would be most grateful.

Thanks.

Edit your /etc/inittab file...

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:4:initdefault:

change the 4 to 3; or yours might be 5, whatever it is change it to 3.

how do I get into shell to edit the file? Need to interupt loading the GUI, unless theres some other way?

try alt+F7 and it should dump you to a command line.

OK tried that, when exactly am I supposed to press it? I tried pressing repeatedly from the second I chose linux in GRUB and it froze when it got to "firstboot" and I could type stuff in, but with no response.

Try it when it dumps you to the blank screen part.

*edit*

If that doesn't work you should be able to boot off of your cd and fix it that way.

Just let it boot normally and hit Ctrl-Alt-F2 or 1,3,4. F7 should be GUI but on some distros it's F5

My bad, it's the ctrl+alt+F6 key the F7 will take you to a GUI.