Runlevel/Default

• In Debian 9/10, systemd uses targets instead of run-levels
• The /etc/inittab file is no longer used by systemd to change run levels

Change Default runlevel

The Default runlevel can be set either by using the systemctl command or making a symbolic link of runlevel targets file to the default target file

Method 1

Let’s check the current run level by using the following command

# systemctl get-default
graphical.target

Before changing the default runlevel, check out the available targets

# systemctl list-units --type=target
UNIT LOAD ACTIVE SUB DESCRIPTION
basic.target loaded active active Basic System
cryptsetup.target loaded active active Encrypted Volumes
getty.target loaded active active Login Prompts
graphical.target loaded active active Graphical Interface
local-fs-pre.target loaded active active Local File Systems (Pre)
local-fs.target loaded active active Local File Systems
multi-user.target loaded active active Multi-User System
network-online.target loaded active active Network is Online
network.target loaded active active Network
nss-user-lookup.target loaded active active User and Group Name Lookups
paths.target loaded active active Paths
remote-fs.target loaded active active Remote File Systems
slices.target loaded active active Slices
sockets.target loaded active active Sockets
sound.target loaded active active Sound Card
swap.target loaded active active Swap
sysinit.target loaded active active System Initialization
time-sync.target loaded active active System Time Synchronized
timers.target loaded active active Timers

LOAD = Reflects whether the unit definition was properly loaded
ACTIVE = The high-level unit activation state, i.e

• generalization of SUB

SUB = The low-level unit activation state, values depend on unit type

Issue the following command to change the default runlevel to runlevel 3 (nothing but a multi-user.target)

# systemctl set-default multi-user.target

Confirm the default runlevel

# systemctl get-default
multi-user.target

Reboot and check it out

# reboot

Method 2

In the previous method, we made the runlevel 3 as the default runlevel

• You can also confirm that using the following command

#systemctl get-default
multi-user.target

For a demo, issue the following command to make runlevel 5 as the default runlevel

# ln -sf /lib/systemd/system/runlevel5.target /etc/systemd/system/default.target
OR
# ln -sf /lib/systemd/system/graphical.target /etc/systemd/system/default.target

Again check the current level

• Now the default runlevel is the graphical mode(runlevel 5)

# systemctl get-default
graphical.target

Reboot the machine and check it out

# reboot

Weblinks

• https://www.itzgeek.com/how-tos/linux/debian/change-default-runlevel-debian-9.html
• https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/7/html/system_administrators_guide/sect-managing_services_with_systemd-targets
• https://www.admin-magazin.de/Das-Heft/2014/10/Systemstart-mit-Systemd-unter-Linux
• https://www.systutorials.com/239880/change-systemd-boot-target-linux/
• https://wiki.debian.org/systemd