Remote Serial Console HOWTO
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# 7.2. Change init level to textual

There is little point in running the X Window System on a server with no screen. Edit `/etc/inittab` finding the line containing `initdefault`, such as

    id:5:initdefault:

Alter the default from run level 5 (multiuser with X Window System) to run level 3 (multiuser).

    id:3:initdefault:

The startx command can be used if an occassional X Windows session is required upon an attached keyboard and monitor.

| Run levels and Red Hat's kudzu
| kudzu automatically updates the `initdefault` entry in `inittab` to use run level 3 if a serial device is being used as a console.

## 7.2.1. Continuing to run X

Sometimes a computer with a serial console and no attached monitor still needs to run the X Window System. For example, the computer might host a number of X terminals.

In this case the computer should remain in run level 5, but should not run a X server for any attached monitors. Alter `/etc/X11/xdm/Xservers` and remove any lines starting with a colon (which indicates an X server on the local machine). Figure 7-2 shows an unaltered `Xservers` file.

Figure 7-2. `Xservers` from Red Hat Linux 7.2

    :0 local /usr/X11R6/bin/X

If the operating system uses GNOME's gdm then alter its configuration file `/etc/X11/gdm/gdm.conf`, removing any entries for local X servers from the `[servers]` section. Figure 7-3shows an unaltered `[servers]` section.

Figure 7-3. `[servers]` section of `gdm.conf` from Red Hat Linux 7.2

    [servers]
    0=/usr/bin/X11/X

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