How to log in (root) without GUI
 

I want to install NVIDIA drivers "butt" I am required to log in as root and no X servers are allowed to run.

I understand the root login but I need to know how to log into command prompt only (without GUI desktop).

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi,

I'm not sure if this is the easiest way, but it will definately work. Edit the /etc/inittab so that this part looks like this:

# Default runlevel. The runlevels used by RHS are:
# 0 - halt (Do NOT set initdefault to this)
# 1 - Single user mode
# 2 - Multiuser, without NFS (The same as 3, if you do not have networking)
# 3 - Full multiuser mode
# 4 - unused
# 5 - X11
# 6 - reboot (Do NOT set initdefault to this)
#
id:3:initdefault:

Specifically, all you need to do is change the middle number in that last line from X11 to Multiuser. Then reboot and it will start in the command prompt.

From there, to get into X you can type 'startx' and if you want it to always log you into GUI, just edit the /etc/inittab file so that the initdefault is X11.

Im not at my home computer but and not sure if it works with MDK but:

open a konsole type:

su
(enter password)
init 3

This should shut down to console. I may be wrong though. There is a similar or same command from the LILO prompt.

I think the command ac_dispatcher is referring to is:

telinit 3

This is a great idea, that I didn't think of. I would recommend trying it first.

and telinit 5 to come back...
search this forum to solve the problem with console mode after installing nvidia drivers (look for vga=788, which is a line to erase from /etc/lilo.conf to avoid blinking screens).