How to boot runlevel 3 as non-root user?

Question

I'm using Arch Linux. I can boot to runlevel 3, but any other level than default (7) results in a prompt asking for my root password. (Including runlevel 3.) The normal login screen for linux is nowhere to be found. I cannot select a user. I cannot enter an account name. All I can enter is the root password.

Does anyone know why this is? Is this just Arch? Is it SystemD? I am PERFECTLY happy to find a distro that does not use systemd. I just need to know.

Answer 1

1. systemd does not cause booting into any default runlevel to go to arch's "rescue mode" runlevel

2. Using the old way of specifying runlevels causes arch to default to rescue mode

3. runlevel is now specified by a unit - the (new) proper way to get to multi-user is not to add ro/rw 3

4. Instead add systemd-unit=multi-user.target, to the end of the boot line

(5. still not super excited about systemd)