Switching Between GUI and Text-Only Mode in Ubuntu for Bare Metal Hypervisor Setup

Ubuntu offers a versatile and flexible environment, especially useful for setting up a bare metal hypervisor such as Box. One of the key features is the ability to switch between the graphical user interface (GUI) and a text-only console. This guide will help you understand how to make this switch effectively.

Switching to Text-Only Console

Ubuntu allows you to switch to a text-only console using both keyboard shortcuts and commands. This mode is particularly useful when you want to improve performance and manage system resources effectively.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Pressing Ctrl Alt F1 through F6 will take you to a different virtual console. Each function key corresponds to a different virtual console:

Ctrl Alt F1 - First console Ctrl Alt F2 - Second console Ctrl Alt F3 - Third console Ctrl Alt F4 - Fourth console Ctrl Alt F5 - Fifth console Ctrl Alt F6 - Sixth console

Note that your first terminal F1 is typically used by the desktop environment (DE), so you might switch to F2 or F3 for a text-only mode if needed. To get back to the GUI, use Ctrl Alt F7.

Logging Out of the GUI

If you need to completely exit the GUI, simply log out of your session. This will return you to a text-based login screen, which is useful for maintenance tasks.

Switching Back to the GUI

Returning to the graphical user interface (GUI) from a text console can also be done using keyboard shortcuts or commands.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

To quickly switch back to the GUI, press Ctrl Alt F7 or Ctrl Alt F1, depending on your Ubuntu version. The GUI is typically run on F7, but F1 is also an option.

Using Commands

If you want to stop the GUI service and use only the terminal for better performance and resource management, you can use the following commands:

To stop the GUI service: GNOME: Run sudo systemctl stop gdm LightDM: Run sudo systemctl stop lightdm SDDM: Run sudo systemctl stop sddm To start the GUI again: GNOME: Run sudo systemctl start gdm LightDM: Run sudo systemctl start lightdm SDDM: Run sudo systemctl start sddm

Setting Default Target (Optional)

If you want to boot directly into text-only mode and avoid starting the GUI at all, you can change the default target:

To set the default boot target to a multi-user mode text-only, run: sudo systemctl set-default To revert back to graphical mode, run: sudo systemctl set-default

Conclusion

With these methods, you can easily switch between the GUI and text-only modes in Ubuntu, which is particularly useful for managing a bare metal hypervisor such as Box. Whether you are setting up Box or another virtualization tool, you may often prefer the text console for better performance and resource management.

Remember, the ability to switch between these modes enhances your control over system resources and simplifies tasks such as hypervisor configuration and maintenance. Happy managing!