--- name: "rcconf" section: "8" platform: "linux" package: "rcconf" version: "3.2+nmu1" release: "Debian 12 (Bookworm)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/rcconf" --- # rcconf(8) Debian Runlevel configuration tool ## NAME rcconf - Debian Runlevel configuration tool ## SYNOPSIS **rcconf** \[options\] ## DESCRIPTION **Rcconf** allows you to control which services are started when the system boots up or reboots. It displays a menu of all the services which could be started at boot. The ones that are configured to do so are marked and you can toggle individual services on and off. **Rcconf** gets a list of services from /etc/init.d and looks in the /etc/rc?.d directories to determine whether each service is on or off. **Rcconf** detects ON state by existence of /etc/rc?.d/"S"NNname. If the number(NN of /etc/rc?.d/\[SK\]NNname) is not 20(default), **rcconf** saves the service name and the number in /var/lib/rcconf/services so as to be able to restore the service to its original configuration. If you purge **rcconf** package by 'dpkg --purge' or 'aptitude purge' or others, you may lose off state package due to deletion of /var/lib/rcconf/services. ## OPTIONS - **--help** Print out a usage message. - **--dialog** Use dialog command to display menu - **--whiptail** Use whiptail command to display menu - **--notermcheck** Do not set window size by terminal property. - **--on** service\[,service,...\] Set services to be on. This option enables rcconf in command line mode and no select menu will be displayed. - **--off** service\[,service,...\] Set services to be off. This option enables rcconf in command line mode and no select menu will be displayed. - **--list** List services which includes current status(on/off). This option enables rcconf in command line mode and no select menu will be displayed. Use **--expert** option together if you want to list all services. This result can be used as *config\_file* of **--config**. - **--config** *config\_file* Set services on/off according to *config\_file*. This option enables rcconf in command line mode and no select menu will be displayed. The format of this config file is "service\_name on" or "service\_name off" in each line. Refer to the result of **--list**. - **--expert** Show and select all services for experts. In default, rcconf doesn't display system default services as a candidate such as mountall.sh to hide unnecessary services for users(but very important for system). The list of which services are considered expert can be found at the line `@expertonly` in /usr/sbin/rcconf. - **--now** For each service that had the links changed, call the corresponding /etc/init.d/service-name script using invoke-rc.d, so the package starts or stops immediately. If you do not use this option, the changes will only take effect the next time you reboot (or change runlevel). - **--verbose** Output verbose messages. ## Guide File **Rcconf** can display some description(Guide) for each services with Guide File. Guide File is placed on /var/lib/rcconf/guide, and this Guide File does not exist by default. If you want to use Guide, you need to define guides for each services in this file. If you run **update-rcconf-guide** before **rcconf**, **rcconf** can use default guides derived from package description. **Update-rcconf-guide** generates the file '/var/lib/rcconf/guide.default' from package description(only uses first line of it) using apt-cache. **Rcconf** refers Guides in /var/lib/rcconf/guide before /var/lib/rcconf/guide.default. If you install some packages after executed **update-rcconf-guide**, you need to re-create this file using **update-rcconf-guide** so as to refresh guide.default that includes new guides for installed new services. ## Updating /etc/rd?.c/ by the package(KNOWN PROBLEM) **Rcconf** saves /etc/rc?.d/\[SK\]NNname conditions into /var/lib/rcconf/services. This file is updated only when there exists /etc/rc?.d/SNNname. It means that the condition is not saved if /etc/rc?.d/SNNname doesn't exist for the package. If the old version of the package creates both /etc/rc?.d/SNNname and /etc/rc?.d/KNNname but the newer(updated) version of the package creates only /etc/rc?.d/KNNname, some stupid condition occurs. That is, **rcconf** displays this package as OFF state even as the updated package doesn't have /etc/rc?.d/SNNname. That is because **rcconf** can't detect disappearance of /etc/rc?.d/SNNname and previous /etc/rc?.d/SNNname condition remains in /var/lib/rcconf/services for restore. In that situation, remove the entry(corresponding package line) from /var/lib/rcconf/services. ## FILE - /var/lib/rcconf/services The service number data file. - /var/lib/rcconf/lock Lock file. - /var/lib/rcconf/guide.default Guide File update-rcconf-guide generates. - /var/lib/rcconf/guide Guide File user(Administrator) can define. ## SEE ALSO [**update-rc.d**(8)](/update-rc.d/8.md) [**update-rcconf-guide**(8)](/update-rcconf-guide/8.md) ## AUTHOR Atsushi KAMOSHIDA \