Hello,
So, normally you'd install Linux, and in doing so, you'd boot to a desktop either during or after the install.

I'd like to find a Linux distro that can boot from optical media or USB key, and requires no screen as it would boot to runlevel 3 automatically. That is to say, I can ssh into the machine from the start, being careful to change the PW.

Anyone know how to locate such a distro?

Thanks!


PS: Don't bother to caution me as to the challenges of using such a system. I've been one with the penguin for years now.

Slackware boots to console

4 members found this post helpful.

Any distro can, you just need to set the runlevel.

For a systemd based host
For non-systemd, edit /etc/inittab; see https://www.oreilly.com/library/view...2/ch04s05.html

Have you considered antiX-core?
Look up AntiX at Distrowatch and consider the permutations!

Not so.

Some distros, such as Debian (and, I'm guessing, most of its derivatives), do not offer that option, at least, not out of the box.

2 members found this post helpful.

It almost was common for the server versions of distro's to not be shipped with a window manager. One had to work to get out of bash.

Almost every modern distro views a usb drive as a hard drive.

Putting these systems on a cd/dvd is a bit tricker but all sorts of web pages exist how to and some distro's offer the live media as standard.


I'd peek at Distrowatch.

@ballsystemlord: I'm curious about what you want to accomplish. (back-story)
Might you experiment in VirtualBox? get-devuan has lots of options.

I enjoy mll (10M .iso) playing with Vbox networkS.
`telnetd -l /bin/sh` allows me to telnet in!

???

Debian can be booted into console mode, without starting X (or Wayland or anything similar).
Probably it is not called runlevel 3, but something else, anyway it is definitely possible.
Just as an example on RPi (which is a derivative of debian) there is an option to select it (just run raspi-config). Out of the box.

There are still distros that offer command line only live/installers - run level 3 is just a command line in most distros, whilst 5 or 7 is GUI.

Maybe check out the Core version download from Tiny Core Linux - http://tinycorelinux.net/

Under SystemD the concept of runlevels is not really the right terminology, but booting to a console only is still supported. Many of the network-install media start that way, and some of the minimal install images default to console only (see my AntiX-Core suggestion as an example). Others you must do a configuration step to disable the GUI loading, and you might want to install first the non-gui WIFI networking management you like, possibly a couple of other things.

As an example, I always install screen and the screenie manager script. Other people install tmux. Being able to multiplex and manage terminal sessions in console is way to handy to avoid. MOSH also, for if my IP address changes often or I am working mobile and the connection is flaky.

1 members found this post helpful.

That page refers to the pre-systemd Debian. When Debian is installed, one step asks you what software you want, including an optional GUI.

Similarly, distros like Fedora and Open SUSE offer a choice at installation provided that you use the full installation iso.

As far as I know all rescue systems boot to run level 3.

Slackware boots to run level 3, and runs sshd by default.

that is mainly explained here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runlevel
The most important thing is that runlevel3 is not generic, levels have different meanings in different distributions. From this point of view, the answer is: almost all distros can do this (boot runlevel3), but the result is probably not always what the OP expects.

^in the case of Slackware, it's exactly what he wants.