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Boot wo/gnome?

Linux Kernel, Network, and Services configuration.
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jjwdeck
Posts: 1
Joined: 2017-08-03 21:18

Boot wo/gnome?

#1 Post by jjwdeck »

Just loaded Jessie 8.3.0 I got last year. Thought GUI would be good, so I selected gnome window manager. I discovered after it booted that X came up on boot and I didn't have access to the Linux console, to which I am accustomed.
My last Debian system was Sarge, on which I used startx to run the desktop. I haven't found the documentation from 12 years ago to exit the GUI system, but C-A-<bs> used to terminate the X session and return to Linux console. This didn't work anymore. I found "heed Jessie boot to BASH, not to KDE" on the forum which described a similar problem. And fortunately, it had a new escape sequence, C-A-<bs>-F12, which allowed me to terminate the X session and return to the Linux console. Where is this sequence documented?
Checking the environment, showed a lot of reminants from X (looks like sourced file and tables) that I would prefer not to have, as I can't see the whole environment wo/using more or less. So I am searching for a way to boot wo/starting X (gnome, w/gdm the controlling proc). After a day of searching the documentation, I found the run control script to to terminate the X session (/etc/init.d/gdm3 stop). But this still leaves the environment w/X reminants. I was hoping I could find some boot parameters that would allow me to boot wo/starting X. Unfortunately, I can't find some of the documentation for boot and X configurations. The man page said the runlevels were only reported for compatibility w/older systems, but it was not used in the boot process anymore.
It might work to boot into single user mode, but I can't figure out how to do that, let alone change to single user runlevel after I have booted into gnome flavor of X. Are there boot parameters which would me to boot into a runlevel wo/gdm? I would like a flexible method that would allow boot to Linux console or to X. Maybe something I could configure w/grub. Does anyone have suggestions about how to accomplish this?

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dasein
Posts: 7680
Joined: 2011-03-04 01:06
Location: Terra Incantationum

Re: Boot wo/gnome?

#2 Post by dasein »

jjwdeck wrote:Just loaded Jessie 8.3.0 I got last year. Thought GUI would be good, so I selected gnome window manager. I discovered after it booted that X came up on boot and I didn't have access to the Linux console, to which I am accustomed.
Except you do, starting with Ctrl-Alt-F1, etc.
Are there boot parameters which would me to boot into a runlevel wo/gdm?
Yes.

I feel certain that there is an existing HOWTO on this exact topic in the HOWTO section of the forum. Shouldn't be all that tough to find.
Maybe something I could configure w/grub.
Also yes.

As for the rest of your post.... maybe learn to use the [enter] key? Whitespace is your friend.
Last edited by dasein on 2017-08-03 22:13, edited 1 time in total.

kedaha
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Re: Boot wo/gnome?

#3 Post by kedaha »

See for example ask.xmodulo.com/boot-into-command-line-ubuntu-debian.html to be able to boot directly to a Linux console whence, whenever you wish to fire up a a desktop environment like Gnome or whatever, then after log in, all you have to type is startx.
Logout, as normal, via graphical user interface will return you to your console.
DebianStable

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TonyT
Posts: 575
Joined: 2006-09-04 11:57

Re: Boot wo/gnome?

#4 Post by TonyT »

Just loaded Jessie 8.3.0 I got last year. Thought GUI would be good, so I selected gnome window manager
Uh, you probably installed the Gnome core or Gnome desktop environment, which also installed Gnome Display manager, which is the graphical login screen and not needed if you prefer a text login and startx. Just do:
apt-get --purge remove gdm (or whatever it goes by nowadays)

cfb
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Re: Boot wo/gnome?

#5 Post by cfb »

You can specify, that you only want to boot to a terminal login by setting the default systemd target:

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# systemctl set-default multi-user.target
After logging in, you start the GUI using the "startx" command.

If you want to switch back to booting directly to GUI, use:

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# systemctl set-default graphical.target

kedaha
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Re: Boot wo/gnome?

#6 Post by kedaha »

@cfb
The commands you've posted were already given in the link I provided in my previous reply so, barring further input from the o.p., the topic should've been marked as solved.
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