LPIC-1 System Architecture Practice Question
A system administrator wants to disable the graphical target and boot to the text mode multi-user.target permanently. Which command should they run?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse runtime isolation (`isolate`) with persistent default setting (`set-default`), leading candidates to choose option B for a permanent change when it only affects the current session.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
systemctl set-default multi-user.target
`systemctl set-default multi-user.target` permanently changes the default systemd target to multi-user.target, ensuring the system boots into text mode (runlevel 3 equivalent) on every subsequent boot. This persists across reboots, unlike temporary switches.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
systemctl enable multi-user.target
Why it's wrong here
Enabling multi-user.target only sets it to start at boot; it does not change the default target, so graphical.target still boots. This command is used to make a unit start automatically, which is correct when a service must run after boot, not when altering the systemd default target.
- ✗
systemctl isolate multi-user.target
Why it's wrong here
isolate switches the running system to multi-user.target immediately but leaves the default target unchanged, so the next boot returns to graphical.target. Isolation is correct for switching targets in a live session without altering persistent boot configuration, not for making the change permanent.
- ✓
systemctl set-default multi-user.target
Why this is correct
systemctl set-default writes the multi-user.target symlink into /etc/systemd/system/default.target, changing the persistent default boot target. This satisfies the requirement for a permanent switch away from graphical.target, unlike isolate or rescue, which affect only the running session.
- ✗
systemctl default multi-user.target
Why it's wrong here
systemctl default takes no target argument; it starts the already-configured default target. Passing multi-user.target is invalid syntax and changes nothing. The command is used to return to whatever default is set, which would be correct only after the default target itself had already been changed.
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