Enable ability to pause during boot-up process or confirm each step.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED), Server (SLES), or openSUSE

Need to pause boot process (or confirm each step) to view any messages or results being displayed (generally for troubleshooting purposes).

Edit the file "/etc/sysconfig/boot" and look for the following line and make sure it is set to "yes":

FLOW_CONTROL="yes"

This will allow the use of the key combinations Ctrl-s (to pause) and Ctrl-q (to continue).

Even though the ability to pause is enabled the system will continue to boot.  If a graphic desktop is being used then eventually (even though you are paused) the graphic login screen will be displayed.  If this happens just press Ctrl-Alt-F1 to get back to where you paused the boot process.

To enable a confirmation for each step of the boot process you can modify the same file (/etc/sysconfig/boot) and look for the following line and make sure it is set to "yes":

PROMPT_FOR_CONFIRM="yes"

This will cause the system to prompt for confirmation each step along the boot process.  There will only be a 5 second pause at each confirmation before the system will automatically continue the boot process.  There is a setting in this same file that appears to be associated with this pause:

CONFIRM_PROMPT_TIMEOUT="5"

The bad news is that this setting is for future use and does not have an effect on the timeout period (this may change in a future release).

Another less permanent way to enable the confirmation on boot-up is to add a kernel parameter at the GRUB boot loader menu.  Just highlight your selection to boot the system then type "confirm" which should show up in the Boot Options just below your selections.  Press enter to boot the system with this parameter.