After the kernel loads, it runs a pre-determined
executable.  This executable can be just about
anything--a simple shell (/bin/sh), an installer
program, or, /sbin/init.  init reads its config
file, /etc/inittab, to determine exactly what
children it should run, and how they should be
run.  It is within /etc/inittab that you'll find
the rc script(s) that rifle through the K* and S*
scripts in the init.d directory to (K)ill and
(S)tart services for a particular init "run level".

The "run level" defines the state of the Unix system--
halted, rebooting, initializing, single-user mode
(think "safe mode"), and multiuser mode.

init is the granddaddy of all processes.  If you
do a

     ps afxl | less

to view the parent/child relationship of all
processes, look at the "PPID" column.  You'll see
that if you go back far enough in the "family tree"
that everything leads back to PID (Process
IDentifier) 1, init.


D

On Fri, 17 Mar 2000, Don Harrop wrote:

> Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2000 17:45:11 -0700
> From: Don Harrop <don@nis4u.com>
> Reply-To: plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us
> To: plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us
> Subject: Auto Running
> 
> **Attention Newbie Question**
> 
>  \ | /
> (.)(.)
> \__/
> 
> I've been trying to learn about how all the processes are started during
> bootup.  I learned several things already but there are some holes in my
> knowledge.  :-(  First of all I've got RH6.1.  The /etc/rc.d/init.d
> directory has a lot of scripts that are responsible for starting services.
> I can run them seperatly and it seems to shut down and restart the
> processes.  I'm assuming that these are the same scripts that are run at
> bootup, but how.  Does the rc.sysinit file start everything?  If I wanted to
> insert a process of my own or stop one from starting what's the best way to
> do that?
> 
> Don
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Plug-discuss mailing list  -  Plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us
> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>