Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3: System Administration Guide
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# 21.5. `chkconfig`

The `chkconfig` command can also be used to activate and deactivate services. The `chkconfig --list` command displays a list of system services and whether they are started (`on`) or stopped (`off`) in runlevels 0-6. At the end of the list is a section for the services managed by `xinetd`.

If the `chkconfig --list` command is used to query a service managed by `xinetd`, it displays whether the `xinetd` service is enabled (`on`) or disabled (`off`). For example, the command `chkconfig --list finger` returns the following output:

    finger          on

As shown, `finger` is enabled as an `xinetd` service. If `xinetd` is running, `finger` is enabled.

If you use `chkconfig --list` to query a service in `/etc/rc.d`, service's settings for each runlevel are displayed. For example, the command `chkconfig --list httpd` returns the following output:

    httpd         0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off

`chkconfig` can also be used to configure a service to be started (or not) in a specific runlevel. For example, to turn `nscd` off in runlevels 3, 4, and 5, use the following command:

    chkconfig --level 345 nscd off

| Warning

Services managed by `xinetd` are immediately affected by `chkconfig`. For example, if `xinetd` is running, `finger` is disabled, and the command `chkconfig finger on` is executed, `finger` is immediately enabled without having to restart `xinetd` manually. Changes for other services do not take effect immediately after using `chkconfig`. You must stop or start the individual service with the command `service `daemon` stop`. In the previous example, replace `daemon` with the name of the service you want to stop; for example, `httpd`. Replace `stop` with `start` or `restart` to start or restart the service.

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