Customizing Runlevel 3 Console

I’m relatively new to Linux and to openSUSE. I’ve been using 11.3 as the OS on my home server for awhile using a GUI (Gnome). I recently created a new server which is much more powerful and would like to get serious about learning the ins and outs of the system. I’ve learned some basic bash and would like to install 11.4 on the new server. I have two questions about this. The first is: does it add any system overhead if I install KDE but set the default runlevel to 3? I know that running the GUI takes up system resources, but I’m new enough to the system that I’m not 100% comfortable yet not having a GUI backup. On the other hand, if having a GUI installed eats up resources (other than the HDD space for installing it) even if I’m only using the system in runlevel 3, then I think I’ll forgo KDE and install it as text only and just bone up on bash.

My second question is: is there a file I can edit to customize the runlevel 3 console? I just installed 11.4 on my HP Mini using KDE but defaulting to runlevel 3, and I really like the background picture and little SUSE lizard at the top of my console. Is there a way to change the background picture and logo at the top? It’s probably a little juvenile on my part to want to customize this but Linux is all about choice right? Any advice would be appreciated!

If the desktop isn’t loaded, which it isn’t at level 3, then it’s not using resources.
You can always use the runlevel editor to check exactly what is running at level 3

Your other question, I don’t follow.

I regularly do install the KDE GUI even on servers running in level 3. The GUI simplifies some administration tasks and will not require system resources in runlevel 3.

Someone else may help with customizing the screen background. I never changed it.

I never changed the background image, but as far as I know you will need to
look into /etc/bootsplash/themes/openSUSE.


PC: oS 11.4 64 bit | Intel Core i7-2600@3.40GHz | KDE 4.6.0 | GeForce GT 420
| 16GB Ram
Eee PC 1201n: oS 11.4 64 bit | Intel Atom 330@1.60GHz | KDE 4.6.5 | nVidia
ION | 3GB Ram

Thanks to all of you for your quick and helpful responses. Looking into /etc/bootsplash/themes/openSUSE, I opened up a configuration file and found a comment at the top referencing bootsplash.org which is very useful indeed with information on changing the theme of the runlevel 3 console. Thanks again for all your help!