How do I boot into console mode?

Question

In previous versions of Ubuntu I could get the computer to boot into console mode by setting the variable GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT to "text" in the file /etc/default/grub and run sudo update-grub. In Ubuntu 11.10, however, it has no effect - I am still presented with the LightDM login screen. Any clues?

Answer 1

That's a bug [1] and a fix has been commited in the packaging vcs, the issue should be fixed with the next lightdm upload.

[1] https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/lightdm/+bug/873334

Answer 2

Okay another way would be to disable the lightdm service in init:

/etc/init/lightdm.conf

in there there is a section like this:

start on (filesystem
and started dbus
and (drm-device-added card0 PRIMARY_DEVICE_FOR_DISPLAY=1
or stopped udev-fallback-graphics))

commenting out this block with # should prevent Upstart to run your window manager.

Hopefully this works for you.

Greetings again from switzerland, Michael

Answer 3

what you setup with this option in grub config is only whether you see the text messages floating at bootup, not whether Ubuntu boots into X or into a console mode.

If you want to boot into console mode you have to prevent your window manager to be started at bootup. You can remove the service by invoking

sudo update-rc.d -f gdm remove

The upper line removes Gnome from being started at boot up. For LightDM this line needs to be changed to

sudo update-rc.d -f lightdm remove

I did not try that, because i do not have LightDM set up.

I hope this helps you.

Hint: to reset the configuration, the following command should work:

sudo update-rc.d lightdm defaults

Please be sure you know what you re doing.

Greetings from Switzerland, Michael

Answer 4

I did following

Step 1 First update your repository by running

sudo apt-get update

Step 2 There is some bug in old version of lightdm, so we need to upgrade the same. To do so run,

sudo apt-get install lightdm

Step 3 Now we have to modify grub config. Step 3a Open /etc/default/grub with your faviourite editor and change

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

to

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="text"

Step 3b Also comment GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0 This line is for unhiding the GRUB menu

Step 4 Now we will upgrade GRUB configuration

sudo update-grub

Step 5 Ubuntu 11.10 Desktop edition use lightdm for GUI. We need to disable the same

sudo update-rc.d -f lightdm remove

Step 6 Now restart your machine.

Found at Disable GUI Boot in Ubuntu 11.10