How to boot linux (fedora) in a text mode? Is there a parameter in grub to do so?

I did use "init 3" command line to reboot in text mode successfully, but just wonder if there is a grub parameter to get to the text mode?

You select the entry you want to boot, press 'e' to edit it and then select the "kernel" line. Press 'e' to edit that line and add a 3 to the end of it (you need a space between the 3 and the last word already there). Then you just hit 'b' to boot.

Not sure if Nylex solution is a permanent one (I don't have much experience with grub). The default runlevel is (or at least used to be) defined in /etc/inittab.

Look for initdefault in the above file and change the 2 to 3 to make it permanent (and independent from the bootloader).

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If you want to always boot to the cli, edit /etc/inittab, and change
to
Edit - in Fedora, you'll find the gui is runlevel 5

It is permanent if you edit the menu.lst file, changing it as Nylex described will only work once.

I like to add a second Grub entry, leaving runlevel 5 as the default, but with a second entry that will boot into runlevel 3 when necessary.

Just check out for the different Run levels - -
Run level 0 :shutdown
Run level 1 :Single user modes
Run level 2 :multi user mode without NFS
Run level 3 :Full multi user mode with Networking
Run level 4 :user definable
Run level 5 :GUI
Run level 6 :Reboot

If you want to always boot to the cli, edit /etc/inittab, and change
Code:

id:5:initdefault:

to
Code:

id:3:initdefault:

As far as Grub is concerned press the "c" key should drop the system from the graphic to the text mode. This should work with all Fedora, as far as I know.

There are only a few programs that inhibit text mode, notably gfxmenu and hiddenmenu.

If there are present they can be disabled by preceding a "#" in front of the line.

Fedora only uses a splash image to make the screen look better and users can opt for the text mode by pressing the "c" key.

Grub in text mode allows any install PC system to be booted manually. It is unbelievably powerful.

kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.18-8.el5 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet 3

after quiet you can define your runlevel.

Just check out for the different available Run levels

Run level 0 :shutdown
Run level 1 :Single user modes
Run level 2 :multi user mode without NFS
Run level 3 :Full multi user mode with Networking
Run level 4 :user definable
Run level 5 :GUI
Run level 6 :Reboot


Commands ~
init 0 -shutdown
init 1
init 2
init 3
init 4
init 5
init 6 -restart


If you want to always boot to the command line interface,
edit /etc/inittab, and change

Code:
id:5:initdefault:

to
Code:

id:3:initdefault:

Save and exit the inittab file.

use init 6
Now your system will boot in text mode.