Need to boot to console instead of GUI[SOLVED]

[eparkerii]

I'm running LM8, the LXDE version. How can I boot to the console instead of the GUI. I need to install an nVidia driver from the console- the X server can't be running or the install will fail. Any suggestions?

[vincent]

I'm not altogether sure about how to boot directly to console without going to the GUI (I believe there are some specific boot parameters you can set to do just that), but another way that's pretty easy is to type CTRL + ALT + Fx (where x is a number between 1 and 6) to switch to a terminal without a GUI interface, and then, after logging in with your username and password, typing this:

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sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop

That should kill your GUI and allow you to install your drivers. Once you're done:

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sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start

And press CTRL + ALT + F7 to go back to your GUI...assuming your driver install went all right and X hasn't been borked or anything. If it has, that's a totally different issue.

[eparkerii]

Thanks for the reply! Tried your suggestion and got:

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sudo: /etc/init.d/gdm: command not found

I did a search for 'gdm'- no dice. I then went to /etc/init.d and tried to figure out which command might work, to no avail. Any ideas?

[akaNed]

Thanks for the reply! Tried your suggestion and got:

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sudo: /etc/init.d/gdm: command not found

I did a search for 'gdm'- no dice. I then went to /etc/init.d and tried to figure out which command might work, to no avail. Any ideas?

Instead of the above code you can use the following:

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sudo stop gdm

Then to restart after installing the video drivers:

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sudo start gdm

Of course this is done by first logging out of Mint, then at the login screen typing CTRL-ALT-F1 to enter tty1. Login with your username and password, then issue the command to stop gdm, install your driver, and then restart gdm.

Easier yet is to install Envy and let it install the drivers for you. In a terminal type:

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sudo apt-get install envyng-core

When it is finished type:

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sudo envyng -t

Follow the prompts to install or remove the drivers.

[eparkerii]

Unfortunately, still no results. I get:

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stop: Unknown job: gdm

I've executed 'locate gdm' and I can't seem to find an instance of gdm in any of the 'bin' directories- it would appear not to be installed? Running 'whatis gdm' yields 'gdm: nothing appropriate'. There is the directory '/etc/gdm' but nothing within seems to be what I'm looking for.

It took a look at gdm in the Package Manager- it's described as 'GNOME Display Manager'. Is it possible that I would need to install this? Forgive the dumb questions- I'm going slowly here as I don't want to hose anything.

[akaNed]

What does running the following command show?

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ls /etc/init.d | grep gdm

[eparkerii]

Nothing is returned.

[akaNed]

Just realised you are using the LXDE version of Mint, and I'm not sure if they are using gdm or another login manager.

[akaNed]

For me installing Nvidia drivers through envy has always been much easier and pain free.

[eparkerii]

OK, that explains a few things . I've been trying to figure out what the login manager is- no luck so far.

[akaNed]

LXDE may use xdm, so you could look for that in /etc/init.d. Also another option is as follows:

• Logout and login to tty1 (CTRL-ALT-F1)
• Then enter the folowing code to bring you to a single user run-level
  

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  sudo telinit 1

• Wait until a recovery mode window pops up, and choose the root terminal.
• Install the Nvidia drivers and reboot.

[eparkerii]

OK, I installed envyng-core and used it to install the nVidia driver. There's no nVidia splash screen but looked in xorg.conf- the driver seems to be installed. Google Earth is responding much better now, so all's right with the world.

BTW, I tried 'sudo telinit 1' and the screen just went blank- interesting. CTRL + ALT + F7 didn't bring back the desktop. CTRL + ALT + DEL didn't work either- had to hit the power button.

I'd still like to find out how to kill X and drop back to the console. I've used Slackware exclusively since 2001 and that type of operation is no problem. It's then a simple procedure to install an nVidia driver.

This Linux Mint install is on an older machine that will soon belong to someone else. I have to say that, so far, I'm impressed with Linux Mint and the LXDE desktop. LXDE has a little maturing to do but it's quick and it seems to work pretty well.

I very much appreciate the two of you responding so quickly and helping me out. This is my first experience with the Linux Mint forums and I'm very impressed. I'm reasonably well versed in Slackware but am still trying to find stuff in Linux Mint, so I'll be definitely be back.

BTW, is envyng just for nVidia drivers or drivers in general? Also, how to I mark this issue solved?

Thanks again!

[akaNed]

OK, I installed envyng-core and used it to install the nVidia driver. There's no nVidia splash screen but looked in xorg.conf- the driver seems to be installed. Google Earth is responding much better now, so all's right with the world.

BTW, I tried 'sudo telinit 1' and the screen just went blank- interesting. CTRL + ALT + F7 didn't bring back the desktop. CTRL + ALT + DEL didn't work either- had to hit the power button.

I'd still like to find out how to kill X and drop back to the console. I've used Slackware exclusively since 2001 and that type of operation is no problem. It's then a simple procedure to install an nVidia driver.

This Linux Mint install is on an older machine that will soon belong to someone else. I have to say that, so far, I'm impressed with Linux Mint and the LXDE desktop. LXDE has a little maturing to do but it's quick and it seems to work pretty well.

I very much appreciate the two of you responding so quickly and helping me out. This is my first experience with the Linux Mint forums and I'm very impressed. I'm reasonably well versed in Slackware but am still trying to find stuff in Linux Mint, so I'll be definitely be back.

BTW, is envyng just for nVidia drivers or drivers in general? Also, how to I mark this issue solved?

Thanks again!

The telinit command worked for me if I was in tty1, but I'm running the Main Edition of Mint, so the LXDE may be different. Ubuntu/Mint now use Upstart, so gdm is just a link to Upstart. I wish I could help you on how to kill X, but things have changed with the most recent version of XORG, so I'm not really sure anymore.

Envy will also install/uninstall ATI drivers. That's it's sole purpose, and it does it well.

Welcome to Mint The community here is very helpful.

[akaNed]

Oh, and just edit your first post and put [Solved] into the subject box

[Kendall]

For reference sake, Mint 8 LXDE uses slim as a login manager as it's significantly lighter and faster than gdm. Future editions will hopefully be using lxdm as it has much better language support than slim does.