Investigate a severe root-filesystem boot problem in a state even more minimal than rescue.
Which target is generally the most minimal?
emergency.target is more minimal than rescue.target and is used for severe boot failures and recovery work.
Detailed explanation
Incorrect. graphical.target is a full GUI-oriented state.
Incorrect. multi-user.target starts a broader multi-user environment.
Incorrect. rescue.target provides more services than emergency.target.
Correct. emergency.target is the minimal emergency environment.
Try it yourself
An example you can run in a temporary verification environment.
systemctl cat emergency.target 2>/dev/null | head || trueExpected result
emergency.targetのunit定義の一部Key points
- emergency.target
- rescue.target
- Minimal environment
Notes
- Environment: systemd unit定義の読み取り
- Use read-only commands or a disposable Linux instance when checking boot metadata.
- Exact unit names and command output can vary slightly by distribution.
Foundation review
Place the operation
emergency.target is more minimal than rescue.target and may require manual preparation of the root filesystem.
Check the side effect
Use the least disruptive recovery state that still provides the tools needed for diagnosis.