after i edit inittab, and make it run level 3, i start linux and it goes into text mode.
ok, thats fine, but how do i shutdown my computer in text mode?
when i type in
shutdown now
it only seems to terminal x or something... i dunno, not sure, so how do i shutdown my computer in run level 3?

shutdown -h now

halts your computer,

shutdown -r now

reboots it.

also
reboot
reboots it, and runlevel 0 reboots your system and runlevel 6 halts it (i think mighta got em backwords, and these levels apear to be hardcoded in so dont try to change them like i did (), itll only complain then error out while triyng to reboot / halt the system

also note: halting the system only means it sends and kills every process it started (so the kernel and the console will still be there, and you can even type in it to, only nothing wil happen as every program that lsiten on the console for input is killed)

am i suppose to go into run level 0 and do the shutdown command? if so how?

and also, why is the kernel and console still there? i want my computer to be COMPLETELY shut down as in the power goes off, how do i do that?

You'll need to use the apmd by the sounds of things. Make sure that it's supported in the kernel, and if not, do a
# modprobe apm
And then start the apmd, then do the
# shutdown -h now
and it should turn it off after shutting down.

HTH, let me know if i'm too confusing

when i do the modprobe apm, it says 'can't located module apm'

the thing i dun understand is, if i start linux under run level 5 into graphical mode, and then log into my user account, open terminal, go as root and type in
shutdown -h now
it shuts down my computer (the power is gone and everything)

but if i start my computer under run level 3 into text mode, and log in with user and the go under root and type
shutdown -h now
it doesnt turn off my computer as in completely stopping the power