// Geeky IT Advice // File #4 // Date: 2013-05-12 // By: junktext (William Paul Liggett) // Questions? E-mail: junktext AT junktext.org /******************************************************************************** Ubuntu Linux 13.04: Fixing Odd Blank Screen Issues When Booting/Rebooting AND (at the same time) Disabling the Boring Graphical Splash Boot Screen for Verbose Loading Text! ********************************************************************************/ Below was tested using Ubuntu 13.04 (a.k.a. Raring Ringtail). So, if you're a nerd like me and hate seeing the pointless graphical Ubuntu default (splash) boot-up screen that just displays a purple screen with dots that change color every now and then, well I figured out the best way to do this. At least if you are using GRUB2 (which is the boot loader that is started 'before' Ubuntu or any other OS you may have installed). This is quick and easy... and what's more? You don't have to fear that you will 'break' anything, as you know how finicky Linux distros can be if you mess with the stock boot up modes (which is not just an Ubuntu thing). Before we begin, however, your account must have 'sudo' (Super User "Do") [though, technically it is 'Substitute' User "Do"] privileges. If you're unfamiliar with 'sudo' it is a command that you run in a Terminal (shell) window to perform root/administrator tasks. Also, when asked after running a command via 'sudo', you'll need to input YOUR password (not the root password, if one even exists, since stock Ubuntu installs do not have a root password set). If you do not have 'sudo' permissions on your account, then you'll need to speak to your system administrator or switch to an account with elevated powers. Alright, so all you have to do is open up a Terminal window by pressing: + + T (or open up your Dash and search for: terminal) Next, type the following: cd /etc/default Then, to be safe, we'll make a backup of the "grub" file: sudo cp grub grub.orig After your password is accepted and the "grub.orig" is created, now you just need to edit the "grub" file with a text editor (via sudo or as root). You can use "vi" if you like, or if you are uncomfortable using that, do: sudo gedit grub Now, copy what I have below to reflect this part of your "grub" file: #GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash" GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="nomodeset" GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="" The first change that I am telling you to do is to simply comment out the line referencing the "quiet splash" setting by using a single hash symbol (#) in front of the line. The second change is to basically copy the line above it but to use the "nomodeset" option. What this does is that it tells your GRUB2 loader (which is not Linux) to not send any special video parameters to your Linux boot option. Note: The third line of GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="" is not changed at all. I simply put this in to avoid any confusion since the line above sounds the same. This may not sound like much, but this right here kills two birds with one stone. First, you will no longer have any odd blank, black screens that you might see if you use a proprietary video driver (i.e., from NVIDIA/AMD), because these proprietary drivers like to send their own specialized video modes that may conflict with the default Linux display settings that are set at boot (before the proprietary drivers are fully loaded). So a conflict can occur unless you have something to the equivalent of "nomodeset" requested. The other dead bird (although I do not condone in actually killing real birds for no good reason) comes from the awesome fact that this setting also disables the pointless but fancy Ubuntu purple dots that just change color. This may be only my opinion, but if there are any weird boot-up messages or, God forbid, an actual system stall that occurs, I would like to see what the problem is rather than some pretty little dots. Also, if you somehow have any sort of issue with my above suggestion, which you likely shouldn't, you can change the "nomodeset" configuration to "noplymouth" (as Plymouth is the program that shows the fancy splash screen). Though, disabling Plymouth is no guarantee that you will not have any random blank boot-up/reboot screens with your video card. But, this should not be an issue if you are using an open-source driver. Finally, to actively apply the changes in GRUB2, save the "grub" file (make sure it saved by typing "less grub" in your console or just reopen it in 'gedit'), then run: sudo update-grub sudo reboot That's it! // Warning: The below is for advanced users only. As a note for your awareness, you _can_ (if you really want) have Ubuntu boot ONLY into text mode (meaning that you will not have a graphical log-on screen). However, you are warned again that this is not the smartest way to mess with Ubuntu unless you like to play with fire. I say this from experience. Word of caution, the below settings will, as previously stated, allow you to boot into Ubuntu into purely a non-graphical environment. If you don't know what this means, here is an easy example... Many Linux users use a graphical web browser like Firefox to view websites and all that good stuff. If you activate the below configuration, you will need to manually start a graphical display manager to use Firefox, else you cannot use Firefox. (Or if you're hardcore, you despise anything graphical and only use a text web browser such as "links" or "lynx".) Plus, even when you do start a graphical display manger for your system, there are other odd things that can occur. Most commonly which can come back to haunt you when you try updating your video card drivers (e.g., from NVIDIA). I just had this happen to me tonight. I thought I was going to be cool by planning to use the latest, greatest drivers for my NVIDIA GeForce card. So, I downloaded the driver from NVIDIA's website, read their instructions, which called essentially for the 'text boot-up' method (as they said that X Windows should be disabled [this is the where the main graphical magic comes from in Linux]). So, after I found various forums and wiki's online, I came across the configuration below. Well, long story short, the NVIDIA drivers killed my graphical environment and I couldn't figure out how to get things back to normal. After I attempted various possible solutions to fix my problems, I gave up and simply reinstalled Ubuntu as I already had my data backed up. Moreover, even if you never use a proprietary driver like one from NVIDIA, there are more odd things you'll have to configure or get use to, such as: having to remember the correct console commands to start your graphical environment (there are many, many ways and if you do something wrong, you can break more stuff by accident); having to type in your password multiple times to even start up your graphical session (there are ways to fix this, but it takes more effort). Okay, sick of my warnings and want to press ahead anyways? You asked for it... Change your "grub" file (/etc/default) to: #GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash" GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="text" Save that then run: sudo update-grub sudo reboot Alright, once you boot up, you'll see all the pretty text-only messages and you will be presented with a text-based login prompt. Cool so far, right? I agree. After you log in, and when you get bored hanging around in console mode, to start the default graphical environment in Ubuntu 13.04, run this command: sudo start lightdm Now after you log in two more times essentially, you'll see your graphical Desktop area. Things will work like normal, except to reboot your computer (or to just kill your X Windows environment), you may need to press: + + F1 You should be able to type commands, as the "lightdm" display manager should be running in the background. If not, try another virtual terminal by doing (you will need to log in again): + + F2 Once you get to a console that you can throw commands at, you can shutdown "lightdm" by doing: sudo stop lightdm If this worked, once you try going into virtual terminal 7 ( + + F7), which is the default zone where X puts the lightdm output, all you should see is a blank black screen. Which is a good thing this time! Now just hit + + F1 (or F2) again and, finally, to reboot your machine type: sudo reboot Or, if you want to shutdown type: sudo shutdown now