Ubuntu 12.04 - command line: no headless boot

Question

I'm setting up Ubuntu 12.04 minimal on a mini-pc using a GENE 5313 motherboard with a Geode lx800 CPU. I'll use it as a headless PC with just transmission, ssh, ddclient and few more stuff. The problem is that I cannot boot it without a monitor physically plugged.

• I did not install X11, and I will not. I want it only command-line (and it's working very good) so ...
• I will not use VNC, nor any kind of remote desktop
• I will access it only by ssh from my local network and maybe some web services
• I already tried to set the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="nomodeset" variable on /etc/default/grub. It didn't work
• My BIOS is already set to "Halt on NO ERROR"
• I would prefer to not simulate a VGA monitor by wiring a resistor on the VGA connector, as suggested elsewhere.

All I can do is to make sure I have a monitor plugged when I power it on, let it boot and then I can also unplug the monitor, it works fine. But I will install my mini-pc far from my monitor. If I power it on without a monitor plugged, I only get to "Verifying DMI pool data", no OS boot. I followed a lot of guides to solve this but always failed. Any help? Thank you

Answer 1

that sounds like an issue before the bios hands over to the MBR/boot medium, before GRUB and linux loads. Id be contacting the manufacturer, Googleing that MB model and same issue, and look for a silly custom boot option in BIOS you may have missed. Ive had that 'Verifying DMI...' message but it was hard disk related. You've clearly identified its a monitor issue in your case.

Answer 2

You should try installing a Server version for a headless install. But, judging from the symptoms you described, it sounds like the issue has to do something with the motherboard or the graphics card in your computer, rather than something with GRUB or Ubuntu itself. I suggest contacting the manufacturer.