'I get "permission denied" when I type "/etc/inittab id:3:initdefault:"'

That is an invalid command. the command that you want to use is:
init 3

___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites

ok , so I just typed "init 3" and i am now in leve 3 . Now , how exactly do I make level 3 the default booting level . when I type "id:3:initdefault:" i get "command not found"

" how exactly do I make level 3 the default booting level"

You use a text editor to change the file /etc/inittab. Near the beginning of /etc/inittab you will find a line that says:
id:5:initdefault:

Change that line to say:
id:3:initdefault:

Then save the changed file back to /etc/inittab.
The next time that you boot you will boot into run level 3.

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Steve Stites

ok , My hd is totally screwed now . Now I can only boot into grub

" Now I can only boot into grub "

I don't think that you mean grub. What are you getting, a login prompt?

What distribution are you running?

___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites

i messed it beyond repair , I boot to a "grub > "
so now i can't do anything but try to figure out how to clean everything off the HD and do a fresh start . So i need to figure out how to delete all the partitions and ect . .. i been at this for almost 8 solid hours now because im the mega .

what a time to get this thing up again . steps I took .
1. Reformated the hard drive
2. installed ms-dos v.6.22
3 /fdisk
Could not see the linux partition there for couldn't delete what it didnt see
3. found this info for debugging the hd
http://www.softcom.net/users/fdamico/clear_mbr.htm
followed the instructions and did the debug , which seemed to restore the hd to the original state
4. fresh install of redhat 9
5. installed with text installation
6. worked
7. im pretty happy
8.lets all dance

Thanks you Jailbait for you help . Even though it didn't solve my problem it gave me some insite on linux and how to input commands .