Switching from run level 5 to 3 hangs

[Tom Mitchell]

On Tue, Jan 13, 2004 at 04:08:05PM +1000, Matt wrote:
> 
> Today I tried to switch to run level 3 via `/sbin/init 3` but it never
> completed.

I have seen this when updating video device drivers and such.

It is possible for a module to get 'stuck' in the kernel and not
unload or tidy up enough for it's replacement to load.  It may be an
outstanding device action where the return status is never gathered
up.  See zombie process for the user space equivalent.

The alternate terminal (CTL-ALT-Fn) trick may let you regain enough
control and perhaps see what is hung.  A reboot may be needed....

Flipping from one init state to another just seems hard to me.  Init 3
and Init 5 are almost the same.  Exiting one and starting another
seems to me to present a pile of state to keep organized correctly.
Some /etc/init.d/* script or /etc/inittab program might get wrong.  I
doubt that reentrant coding is much on the mind of folks .... for this
stuff.

So what are you changing that you want to flip init states?

Regards,
mitch

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	T o m  M i t c h e l l 
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