Boot Ubuntu 16.04 into command line / do not start GUI

Question

I want my Ubuntu 16.04 to not start GUI on boot and show command line console only. I have tried the following recipies but none of them are for version 16.04 and so they do not seem to work — GUI starts anyway:

1. GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=”text”

2. Changing the default runlevel

Ideally I also want to be able to start GUI by typig a command.

Solution 1

You could disable the display manager service with systemctl. For example if your display manager is lightdm then run:

sudo systemctl disable lightdm.service

This will prevent the service from starting at boot.

Edit:

I forgot to mention how to start the GUI. It is as simple as starting the systemd service:

sudo systemctl start lightdm.service

Solution 2

Instead of text use runlevel 3:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="3"

# To remove all the fancy graphics you need to get rid of `splash`.
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=”quiet”

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only) 
GRUB_TERMINAL=console

Then update-grub and reboot.

---

But you really only need GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="3". For quick test hit ESC during booting to get into the grub boot menu. Then press e and find the line which specifies kernel and add 3 at the end:

 linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/mapper/ubuntu ro 3

Boot it with CTRL+x

---

Ideally I also want to be able to start GUI by typig a command.

One of these:

$ sudo telinit 5
$ sudo service lightdm restart
$ sudo systemctl start lightdm

Tested on Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS.

Solution 3

• When in GUI-mode, this will take you to text-mode (runlevel 2,3,4) on reboot. You may get a blank screen (no-gui) which is a reminder that there's no GUI :-), enter ctrlalt(F1,F2,...) to use the runlevels.

systemctl set-default multi-user.target

• This will take you back to GUI boot when you are in text-mode.

systemctl set-default graphical.target

Solution 4

One of the following, as part of the kernel command line (editable via GRUB), should work:

• systemd.unit=multi-user.target will override the default of "graphical.target" – this, along with systemctl set-default, is the equivalent of "default runlevel";
• systemd.mask=lightdm.service will forbid a specific service from starting, until manually systemctl unmask'd later;
• systemd.mask=display-manager.service – same;
• rescue aka systemd.unit=rescue.target is the equivalent of "single-user runlevel"; not for daily use, but useful when fixing broken GUI.

Solution 5

for ubuntu 18.04 enable root user

 sudo passwd

and then

systemctl set-default multi-user.target

View more solutions

Comments

[wojci]

This worked for me on 16.04 on a arm board. Thanks. :)

[ThomasGuenet]

Replacing "text" by "3", worked for me ! Very efficient ! Thanks

[nyxee]

it would be useful to mention how you return to normality from that "emergency setting" .

[nyxee]

hi. the answer looks nice but its hard to understand. I just Ideally need one command to boot into text mode, do what I need, and go back into normal desktop mode.

[A.D.]

@nyxee My answer has 3 sections. Follow the second: "For quick test hit..."

[nyxee]

I appreciate the information in your post. by the time people look for this information, they are normally exhausted with other options. I gave an example of a simple answer below.

[A.D.]

Nice answer. I'm just used to post longer answers with a lot of information so we all can learn more. And also I'm familiar with grub cmd line options so it's faster for me to add 3 and I'm good to go + it's multi-distro solution :)

[nyxee]

I'm still looking at it to understand whats going on. When i'm done with the unity issues i'll be back . just had to uninstall ubuntu-desktop and unity (the original cause of my problems)

[Andrea]

For the benefit of others, the actual CLI command you want is systemctl set-default multi-user.target (and I believe systemctl set-default graphical.target would reset it)

[user1686]

That's only if you want it semi-permanent, and can reach a shell in the first place. The main post has nothing to do with CLI commands.

[Max L.]

great answer, which file contain the "linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/mapper/ubuntu ro 3" command ?

[A.D.]

/boot/grub/grub.cfg but this file is generated so you should be doing changes in /etc/default/grub instead.

[Paul Williams]

This did not work on my system. (16.04 LTS on a PC) It shows the initial screen with all the [ OK ] messages as the services start, and then freezes.

[Paul Williams]

BTW to re-enable the service the command is actually sudo systemctl enable lightdm.service

[RonJohn]

Worked for me on Xubuntu 18.04.