ubuntu removing GUI login

[drizzt81]

hi,

maybe someone here can tell me how to get rid of all the graphics junk in ubuntu? I just need a Linux command line so that i can compile stuff and run programs. I am unable to get a regular shell at this point, which i need to install the VMWare tools. I have ubuntu running in a virtual machine on Windows.

[[H]EMI_426]

Look at /etc/inittab. Start reading.

[RavenD]

EMI_426']Look at /etc/inittab. Start reading.
To be more specific, there's a command to start the display manager somewhere there, it'll have the line "/etc/init.d/gdm" (without quotes) in it.\
Edit: For that matter, to do what you want, if you dont mind it using a little ram, just leave the display manager running - easier. When the GUI login comes up, hit alt-f1 to go to the command line. f1-f6 are command line shells, f7 is the gui normally.

[acascianelli]

You don't know how to open a terminal in X? It should be under tha applications menu under system tools. If your using Breezy then you need to edit the menu and unhide the root shell entry under the system tools menu.

Hit CTRL - ALT - F1, that will dump you to a console login. Then hit CTRL - ALT - F7 to go back to the graphical session.

[Whatsisname]

why can't you just use an xterm?

[Bullitt]

why can't you just use an xterm?

overhead. load-times. extra junk. I appreciate the CLI and use it 98% of the time.

[unhappy_mage]

overhead. load-times. extra junk. I appreciate the CLI and use it 98% of the time.
*cough* more than 80x24

And if you mention framebuffer, I'll laugh. X gives better acceleration than VESA, surprisingly, and trying to scroll fast in a framebuffer is about like trying to drive fast in a pinto... konsole is my best friend. ;)

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/150072 (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&id=150072)

[Bullitt]

well, most of my systems are remote and locked up. I use a client on another system to work on it. I can appreciate the views, but my boxes are headless anyways, no real need for an X server. :)

[drizzt81]

EMI_426']Look at /etc/inittab. Start reading.

I tried setting the runlevel to 3, but that did not fix it.

To be more specific, there's a command to start the display manager somewhere there, it'll have the line "/etc/init.d/gdm" (without quotes) in it.\
Edit: For that matter, to do what you want, if you dont mind it using a little ram, just leave the display manager running - easier. When the GUI login comes up, hit alt-f1 to go to the command line. f1-f6 are command line shells, f7 is the gui normally.

I will try this and see how it works: ALT+F1/2/3/4/5/6/7 does not work. there is also no line with "gdm" in /etc/inittab

You don't know how to open a terminal in X? It should be under tha applications menu under system tools. If your using Breezy then you need to edit the menu and unhide the root shell entry under the system tools menu.

No, I know how to open a terminal window, however, VMWare tells me that it cannot install the VMWare tools in an xTerm and that i need a 'real' terminal, i.e. xwindows not running, in order to configure the tools.

why can't you just use an xterm?

Because I am told (by vmware_tools_configure.pl) that I cannot. If I could, I would :)

[drizzt81]

uninstalling xwindows fixed my issue 'easily'

[Whatsisname]

well you're not the thread starter now are you?

well, most of my systems are remote and locked up. I use a client on another system to work on it. I can appreciate the views, but my boxes are headless anyways, no real need for an X server. :)

[JediGuy_Bob]

I better way to do this is either removing or commenting out the line that starts gdm in init.d or you can even move the gdm script in /etc/init.d. Last but not least removing gdm, xwindows and xfree86 should do the trick