How to shut down GDM? (Debian) 2

[pentode]

Newbie question:

I've installed Debian Linux on an old laptop. The system boots up into the Gnome Display Manager for initial log-in. This is fine, but I'm trying to figure out how to kill the GUI and get back to a basic console mode.

The Debian documentation says that a "gdm stop" command from a root terminal does this, but this doesn't work - bash tells that "gdm is already running.".

I can Ctl-Alt-F2 and the GUI goes away, but I suspect it is still running.

Any ideas - TIA

 

[Chacalinc]

I can Ctl-Alt-F2 and the GUI goes away, but I suspect it is still running.

yes, it is still running - press Ctl-Alt-F7 in it going to be back.

try killing all Xsomething process or deinstall gnome ans Xorg.

Chacal, Inc.

 

[LawnBoy]

Couldn't he just boot to runlevel 3?

 

[Chacalinc]

nope... debian runs X&gnome at runlevel 2, debian is not like fedora/RH.

Cheers.

Chacal, Inc.

 

[stefanwagner]

Or:

sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop

seeking a job as java-programmer in Berlin:

http://home.arcor.de/hirnstrom/bewerbung

 

[pentode]

Yes, but the "gdm stop" does not work, as i mentioned in the original post. Not sure why.

 

[AdaHacker]

pentode,

The command stefanwagner posted is the correct way to stop GDM on Debian-based systems. Did you actually try it?

I ask because the command lines "/etc/init.d/gdm stop" and "gdm stop" are not the same thing. If you just run "gdm stop" from a command line, you'll end up directly executing the gdm binary. You don't want to do that, because the gdm binary doesn't support a "stop" parameter, so it will try to start another instance of gdm, which would explain the "gdm is already running" message.

 

[pentode]

Thanks - yes I do understand what you're saying.

I went to the /etc/init.d directory and ran it from there as root, I believe.

I'll try it again tonight to make sure - could have just been my normal state of confusion.

 

[stefanwagner]

I hope you don't run 'gdm stop' from the /etc/init.d directory, since '.' isn't in the path of root - at least it shouldn't be there.

You'll have to run './gdm stop', or the whole path included without switching to /etc/init.d .

seeking a job as java-programmer in Berlin:

http://home.arcor.de/hirnstrom/bewerbung

 

[pentode]

OK, - I finally get it now. It's been a while since I worked on a Unix system.

regards,

Dave