Modifying the /etc/inittab file

Four commands are available to modify the records in the etc/inittab file.

Adding records - mkitab command

To add a record to the /etc/inittab file, type the following at a command prompt:

mkitab Identifier:Run Level:Action:Command

For example, to add a record for tty2, type the following at a command prompt:

mkitab tty002:2:respawn:/usr/sbin/getty /dev/tty2

In the above example:

Item	Description
`tty002`	Identifies the object whose run level you are defining.
`2`	Specifies the run level at which this process runs.
`respawn`	Specifies the action that the init command should take for this process.
`/usr/sbin/getty /dev/tty2`	Specifies the shell command to be executed.

Changing records - chitab command

To change a record to the /etc/inittab file, type the following at a command prompt:

chitab Identifier:Run Level:Action:Command

For example, to change a record for tty2 so that this process runs at run levels 2 and 3, type:

chitab tty002:23:respawn:/usr/sbin/getty /dev/tty2

In the above example:

Item	Description
`tty002`	Identifies the object whose run level you are defining.
`23`	Specifies the run levels at which this process runs.
`respawn`	Specifies the action that the init command should take for this process.
`/usr/sbin/getty /dev/tty2`	Specifies the shell command to be executed.

Listing records - lsitab command

To list all records in the /etc/inittab file, type the following at a command prompt:

lsitab -a

To list a specific record in the /etc/inittab file, type:

lsitab Identifier

For example, to list the record for tty2, type: lsitab tty2.

Removing records - rmitab command

To remove a record from the /etc/inittab file, type the following at a command prompt:

rmitab Identifier

For example, to remove the record for tty2, type: rmitab tty2.