Ubuntu – How to start the Textual (non-graphical) installer

modesystem-installationtext;

I'm using the Desktop version of Ubuntu.

As soon as the installer starts, I type the Escape key which reveals the F1-F6 options.
Tying Escape again gives this dialog:

**"You are leaving the graphical boot menu and starting the text mode interface."**

I select "OK", but the installer reboots… back into the graphical interface 🙁

How do I start the text mode installer interface?

Best Answer

Ubuntu eliminated its text-based installer some years ago for its desktop versions. The graphical installer is designed to be run from a full (live) Ubuntu desktop, and there was not enough demand for the text-based installer (for the desktop version, anyway) to justify the effort and complexity required to maintain two separate versions, each with its own code and quirks and bugs and updates. The two installers used different methods to install Ubuntu, so the developers were also afraid it would result in a variety of "standard installations", which could confuse users and complicate technical support, troubleshooting, and software updates.

My guess is the message you are seeing is a vestige of the time when the text installer was still a part of the normal desktop ISO; you could report that message as a bug, if you'd like.

There is still a text-based installer for Ubuntu Server, the Lubuntu "Alternate ISO", and for the Network Installer (a very small ISO that fetches the majority of packages from online mirrors at time of installation, as opposed to fetching them from the DVD or USB stick). Of these, I would recommend the Network installer, as it is a relatively small download and will allow you to install a full GNOME/KDE/MATE/XFCE/LXDE/Unity desktop from the text interface.

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news... Please let me know if this answer was helpful, or if you have any further questions.

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Ubuntu – Create USB installer to install Ubuntu from the command line

When booting from USB, this would give me the Grub boot menu and start the installer, but the installer gave up after a couple of screens complaining that it couldn't find the CD-ROM drive.

This is a known bug with ubuntu server iso (desktop iso works just fine), but there is a fix to get the packages from the iso on the usb drive: once on the installer, Ctrl+Alt+f2 to open a tty and in the terminal:

mount -t vfat /dev/sdX1 /mnt
ln -sf /mnt/ubuntu-server.iso /dev/sr0

Then switch back to installer and retry to scan cd for packages. It should work.

Ubuntu – Starting Linux in text mode using Grub2

A easy way to achieve what you want is editing the file /etc/grub.d/40_custom and create there a manual entry:

menuentry 'Ubuntu (Text mode)' --class ubuntu {
    recordfail
    insmod gzio
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='hd0,msdos1'
    linux   /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda1 ro   text
    initrd  /initrd.img
}

of course, you need to replace sda1 and msdos1 with the correct partition (or UUID if you prefer).

After that run sudo update-grub and the new entry should be added at the end of the list.

This only creates a manual entry. If you want a automatic entry for each kernel then you must edit /etc/grub.d/10_linux.

Best Answer

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Ubuntu – Create USB installer to install Ubuntu from the command line

Ubuntu – Starting Linux in text mode using Grub2

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