Switching runlevels locks up the machine

[sadmac]

Whenever I try to switch runlevels (via init 2 or some such command), I get:

INIT: Switching to runlevel 2
INIT: Sending processes the KILL signal

And then everything just stops. Ctrl+Alt+Del reboots the system, so I assume at least the kernel is still responding, but theres no sign of init scripts running or a login prompt.

It'd be nice to fix this since kernel building is SUBSTANTIALLY slower in runlevel 5.

[joao rebelo]

why you dont`t switch run level by type init 2, or change the inittab file in the /etc directory to startup whit run level 3

[sadmac]

init 2 was what I used.

Changing inittab temporarily might do it as well though.

[a thing]

That's probably because runlevel 2 isn't set up. You probably want runlevel 3 instead.

[sadmac]

2 works. If I boot in single user and move up its fine.