topic Re: is it possible to edit the grub file to bring up the system in single user mode? in Operating System - Linux

is it possible to edit the grub file to bring up the system in single user mode?

skt_skt — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:56:37 GMT

is it possible to edit the grub file to bring up the system in single user mode?
here is how my grub config looks.

title Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS-smp (2.4.21-40.ELsmp)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-40.ELsmp ro root=/dev/vg00/lvol1 hda=ide-scsi usb-handoff
initrd /initrd-2.4.21-40.ELsmp.img

Re: is it possible to edit the grub file to bring up the system in single user mode?

TwoProc — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:59:48 GMT

Yes,

From grub, move your arrow key around to the boot configuration that you want to use single user mode on. Then hit "e", from there you can see all of the lines associated with that boot up option. Then, go to the "kernel" line with the arrow keys and hit "e" - go to the end of the line and add a space, then the word "single", and hit escape (I think), now, from the highlighted line that starts with "kernel" once again with the arrow keys, hit "b" for boot.

Should bring you up in single user mode.

Re: is it possible to edit the grub file to bring up the system in single user mode?

Ivan Ferreira — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:49:34 GMT

Besides the previous solution, you can add a line like this also:

title Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS-smp (SINGLE) (2.4.21-40.ELsmp)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-40.ELsmp ro root=/dev/vg00/lvol1 hda=ide-scsi usb-handoff single
initrd /initrd-2.4.21-40.ELsmp.img

Re: is it possible to edit the grub file to bring up the system in single user mode?

Steven E. Protter — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:05:24 GMT

Shalom,

Yes, intervene at the boot prompt, select the kernel line, hit e

add single to the end

then hit b to boot

mount /var
mount /usr

Then vi will work normally for editing the grub.conf file.

SEP

Re: is it possible to edit the grub file to bring up the system in single user mode?

skt_skt — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:55:18 GMT

what is the difrence if we add single to both the title and kernel lines?

Looks like adding single to title is optional

Re: is it possible to edit the grub file to bring up the system in single user mode?

Ivan Ferreira — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:37:22 GMT

Is just to distinguish from the other entries, for example, you can have:

title Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS-smp (2.4.21-40.ELsmp)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-40.ELsmp ro root=/dev/vg00/lvol1 hda=ide-scsi usb-handoff
initrd /initrd-2.4.21-40.ELsmp.img

title Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS-smp (Single)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-40.ELsmp ro root=/dev/vg00/lvol1 hda=ide-scsi usb-handoff single
initrd /initrd-2.4.21-40.ELsmp.img

So, in the boot menu, you will have two choices, one for normal boot and one for single user.

Re: is it possible to edit the grub file to bring up the system in single user mode?

skt_skt — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:36:00 GMT

got the right answers.