Rebooting a computer is a common task that can be performed in a variety of ways. However, if you are unable to access the graphical user interface (GUI) or if you want to perform a reboot from the command line, there are a few different methods that you can use. This guide will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to reboot from the command line using three different methods.
To reboot from the command line using the first method, you will need to open a terminal window or command prompt. Once you have opened a terminal window, you can type the following command:
sudo reboot
This command will reboot your computer immediately. If you want to delay the reboot, you can add a delay time (in seconds) after the reboot command. For example, the following command will reboot your computer in 10 seconds:
sudo reboot -w 10
Accessing the Command Line
The command line is a powerful tool that allows you to interact with your computer directly. It can be used to perform a wide variety of tasks, including rebooting your computer. To access the command line, you will need to open a terminal window. The steps for doing this will vary depending on your operating system.
Windows
1. Click on the Start menu.
2. Type “cmd” into the search bar.
3. Click on the Command Prompt icon.
macOS
1. Click on the Spotlight icon in the menu bar.
2. Type “Terminal” into the search bar.
3. Click on the Terminal icon.
Linux
1. Open a terminal window by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.
2. If you are not already in your home directory, type “cd ~” to navigate to it.
3. Type “reboot” to reboot your computer.
Table of Contents
| Operating System | Command |
|—|—|
| Windows | reboot |
| macOS | shutdown -r now |
| Linux | reboot |
Using the Reboot Command
The reboot command in the command line is used to restart the computer. It is more convenient than using the graphical user interface (GUI) as it can be performed from anywhere as long as you have access to a command line. Here are the steps to reboot using the command line:
1. Open a command line window. You can do this by pressing the Windows key and typing “cmd” or by searching for “Command Prompt” in the Start menu.
2. Type the following command into the command line window:
`reboot`
3. Press the Enter key. Your computer will restart and boot to the login screen.
You can also use the -t option with the reboot command to specify a timeout value in seconds. This is useful if you want to delay the reboot for a specific amount of time. For example, the following command will reboot the computer after 60 seconds:
`reboot -t 60`
You can also use the -s option with the reboot command to shut down the computer instead of restarting it. For example, the following command will shut down the computer:
`reboot -s`
Here are some additional examples of how to use the reboot command:
| Command | Description |
| reboot | Restarts the computer. |
| reboot -t 60 | Restarts the computer after 60 seconds. |
| reboot -s | Shuts down the computer. |
| reboot -f | Forces the computer to restart without waiting for any programs to close. |
| reboot -a | Aborts the reboot process. |
Specifying Additional Options
The reboot command supports several additional options that allow you to customize the reboot process:
-f,–force
Forces the system to reboot immediately, without waiting for any user input or completing any pending operations. This option should be used with caution as it can potentially cause data loss.
-n,–no-wall
Suppresses the warning message that is normally broadcast to all logged-in users before the system reboots. This option can be useful if you want to reboot the system without disrupting other users.
-w,–wipe
Wipes the system’s memory before rebooting. This can be useful to protect sensitive data from being accessed by unauthorized users if the system is stolen or lost.
| Option | Description |
|—|—|
| -f, –force | Forces the system to reboot immediately, without waiting for any user input or completing any pending operations. |
| -n, –no-wall | Suppresses the warning message that is normally broadcast to all logged-in users before the system reboots. |
| -w, –wipe | Wipes the system’s memory before rebooting. |
Rebooting to the Firmware Interface
To reboot your device into the firmware interface, follow these steps:
- Open a command line window.
- Type the following command:
reboot -f
- Press Enter.
- Your device will now reboot into the firmware interface.
The firmware interface allows you to access a number of different settings and options. These settings can be used to troubleshoot problems, update your firmware, or restore your device to its factory default settings.
Here is a more detailed look at the options available in the firmware interface:
- System Settings: The System Settings menu allows you to view and change various system settings, such as the date and time, network settings, and user accounts.
- Update Firmware: The Update Firmware menu allows you to update your device’s firmware. Firmware updates can improve your device’s performance and fix bugs.
- Restore Factory Defaults: The Restore Factory Defaults menu allows you to restore your device to its factory default settings. This can be useful if you are experiencing problems with your device or if you want to start over with a clean slate.
To exit the firmware interface, simply press the Exit button. Your device will then reboot into the normal operating system.
Rebooting to Single-User Mode
To reboot into single-user mode, use the following steps:
- At the command prompt, type
shutdown -r -y -f. - Press Enter.
- The system will begin to shut down.
- Once the system has shut down, it will automatically reboot into single-user mode.
- You will be prompted to enter the root password.
Once you have entered the root password, you will be able to access the system in single-user mode.
Single-user mode is a special mode that allows the system administrator to perform maintenance tasks on the system. In single-user mode, the system is not running any services or daemons, and the only user who is logged in is the root user.
Single-user mode can be used to perform a variety of tasks, including:
- Repairing the file system
- Recovering lost data
- Installing or upgrading software
- Troubleshooting hardware problems
Once you have completed your tasks in single-user mode, you can reboot the system into normal mode using the following steps:
- At the command prompt, type
exit. - Press Enter.
- The system will begin to reboot into normal mode.
Rebooting with a Specified Target
This method is useful when you need to perform a reboot of the system to a specific target, such as a rescue mode or a different kernel. For example, to reboot the system to a rescue mode, you can use the following command:
$ shutdown -r now -t 3 -f
Where:
| Argument | Description |
|---|---|
| -r | Reboot the system |
| now | Reboot the system immediately |
| -t 3 | Wait 3 seconds before rebooting |
| -f | Force the reboot |
You can also use the systemctl command to reboot the system to a specific target. For example, the following command will reboot the system to a rescue mode:
$ systemctl reboot rescue
Where:
– rescue is the target to reboot to
Rebooting with a Specific Priority
The init command can be used to specify a specific priority for the reboot. This is useful in situations where you need to ensure that a particular service or set of services is restarted before others. For example, you might want to restart the network services before the web server so that the web server can be properly configured.
To specify a specific priority for the reboot, use the following syntax:
init [priority]
Where priority is an integer between 0 and 9. A higher number indicates a higher priority. The default priority is 5.
The following table lists the different priorities and their corresponding actions:
| Priority | Action |
|---|---|
| 0 | HALT |
| 1 | REBOOT |
| 2 | POWER OFF |
| 3 | RESTART |
| 4 | SIGHUP |
| 5 | SIGTERM |
| 6 | SIGKILL |
| 7 | Power cycle system |
| 8 | Suspend system |
| 9 | Hibernation |
For example, to reboot the system with a priority of 2, you would use the following command:
init 2
Rebooting to Recovery Mode
In some cases, you may need to reboot into recovery mode to troubleshoot problems or perform maintenance tasks on your device. Here are the steps on how to reboot to recovery mode:
1. Turn off your device.
2. Press and hold the volume up and power buttons simultaneously.
3. When the Android logo appears, release the power button but continue holding the volume up button.
4. You will now be in the recovery mode menu.
From the recovery mode menu, you can perform the following tasks:
- Reboot system now
- Apply update from ADB
- Apply update from SD card
- Wipe data/factory reset
- Wipe cache partition
- Mount/unmount storage
- View recovery logs
- Run graphics test
- Power off
Navigating the recovery mode menu
You can navigate the recovery mode menu using the volume up and down buttons to move between options and the power button to select an option.
Rebooting with Verbose Output
To reboot your system with verbose output, which provides detailed information about the boot process, use the following command:
sudo reboot -v
The -v option enables verbose output. Here’s a detailed explanation of the command’s syntax:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| sudo | Runs the command with superuser (root) privileges. |
| reboot | Reboots the system. |
| -v | Enables verbose output. |
Verbose output can be especially useful for troubleshooting boot issues or understanding the boot process in more detail. It provides a comprehensive log of the boot process, including:
* Kernel loading messages
* Hardware initialization information
* System service startup logs
* User space program initialization logs
By reviewing the verbose output, you can identify potential issues during the boot process and take appropriate action to resolve them.
Customizing Reboot Time
For more fine-grained control over the reboot process, you can specify additional options to the reboot command. Here are some commonly used options:
- -d: Delay the reboot for a specified number of seconds. For example,
reboot -d 30will delay the reboot by 30 seconds. - -f: Force the reboot, even if there are unsaved changes or running processes.
- -n: Don’t actually reboot the system, just print the command that would be executed.
- -p: Halt the system instead of rebooting.
- -r: Reboot the system to a specified runlevel. For example,
reboot -r 3will reboot the system to runlevel 3.
You can also use the wall command to broadcast a message to all logged-in users before the reboot. For example, the following command will send a message to all users 30 seconds before the reboot:
“`
wall -n “System will reboot in 30 seconds.”
reboot -d 30
“`
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| -d | Delay the reboot for a specified number of seconds. |
| -f | Force the reboot, even if there are unsaved changes or running processes. |
| -n | Don’t actually reboot the system, just print the command that would be executed. |
| -p | Halt the system instead of rebooting. |
| -r | Reboot the system to a specified runlevel. |
How To Reboot From Command Line
Restarting a computer from the command line is a useful skill to have, especially if you are working remotely or need to troubleshoot a system without restarting it through the GUI. This can be accomplished using the rebootcommand. To use this command, open a terminal window and type the following:
reboot
The system will immediately begin the reboot process. You will be prompted to confirm the reboot by typing “y” or “n”. If you type “y”, the system will restart. If you type “n”, the reboot will be cancelled.
You can also specify a time delay before the reboot occurs. To do this, use the -w option followed by the number of seconds to wait before rebooting. For example, to reboot the system in 5 minutes, you would type the following:
reboot -w 300
The system will begin the reboot process after the specified time has elapsed.
People Also Ask
How do I reboot my computer from the command line in Windows?
On Windows, you can reboot your computer from the command line using the shutdown /rcommand.
How do I reboot my computer from the command line in Linux?
On Linux, you can reboot your computer from the command line using the rebootcommand.
How do I reboot my computer from the command line in macOS?
On macOS, you can reboot your computer from the command line using the rebootcommand.
