What Happens When the System Is Brought to Run Level 3

1. The init process is started and reads the /etc/default/init file to set any environment variables. By default, only the TIMEZONE variable is set.

2. Then init reads the inittab file to do the following:

   1. Identify the initdefault entry, which defines the default run level (3).

   2. Execute any process entries that have sysinit in the action field so that any special initializations can take place before users login.

   3. Execute any process entries that have 3 in the rstate field, which matches the default run level, 3.

      See init(1M) for a detailed description of how the init process uses the inittab file.

      Table 6-3 describes the key words used for run level 3's action field.

      Table 6-3 Run Level 3 Action Key Word Descriptions

      Key Word	Starts the Specified Process ...
      powerfail	Only when the system receives a power fail signal.
      wait	And waits for its termination.
      respawn	If it does not exist. If the process already exists, continue scanning the inittab file.

Table 6-4 describes the processes (or commands) executed at run level 3.