Ygtjki

Multi tool use

Can you replace a racial trait cantrip when leveling up?

Why am I allowed to create multiple unique pointers from a single object?

If a black hole is created from light, can this black hole then move at speed of light?

Why don't programming languages automatically manage the synchronous/asynchronous problem?

How to count occurrences of text in a file?

What is "(CFMCC)" on an ILS approach chart?

How did the Bene Gesserit know how to make a Kwisatz Haderach?

To not tell, not take, and not want

What was the first Unix version to run on a microcomputer?

How to safely derail a train during transit?

What benefits would be gained by using human laborers instead of drones in deep sea mining?

Why is the US ranked as #45 in Press Freedom ratings, despite its extremely permissive free speech laws?

Contours of a clandestine nature

Sending manuscript to multiple publishers

Is micro rebar a better way to reinforce concrete than rebar?

Can I run my washing machine drain line into a condensate pump so it drains better?

Why do remote companies require working in the US?

sp_blitzCache results Memory grants

Indicator light circuit

What exact does MIB represent in SNMP? How is it different from OID?

Non-deterministic sum of floats

If Nick Fury and Coulson already knew about aliens (Kree and Skrull) why did they wait until Thor's appearance to start making weapons?

Why has the US not been more assertive in confronting Russia in recent years?

Bold, vivid family

Can I start Debian on a text virtual console in a virtual machine?

-2

I have created a Debian virtual machine in virt-manager/KVM/QEMU.

When I run the Debian virtual machine, I don't really need the desktop environment, which is also resource consuming. Can I start Debian only on a text virtual console (e.g. like ctrl-alt-f1) instead of the graphical virtual console (i.e. ctrl-alt-f7) on the virtual machine?

Thanks.

debian kvm virt-manager virtual-consoles

share|improve this question

edited 2 days ago

Jeff Schaller♦

44.3k1162143

asked 2 days ago

TimTim

28.3k78269490

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Possible duplicate of How to disable X server autostart in Debian Jessie?
  
  – telcoM
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  And maybe, you should have installed Debian using a Netinstall ISO, that has the essential minimal for a Non-X setup - debian.org/distrib/netinst - Also, remember to not select a desktop environment during the setup process, or it will download it. Keep up the bare minimal, and the ssh server if you want...
  
  – nwildner
  yesterday
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  You could also not give a virtual graphics card at all to your VM and have the console on serial. Like for a physical server, that makes it easier to operate the VM as you can then more easily copy-paste text when you access that console from a terminal emulator on the host.
  
  – Stéphane Chazelas
  15 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @StéphaneChazelas Thanks. How shall I not give a virtual graphics card at all to your VM and have the console on serial?
  
  – Tim
  13 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

-2

I have created a Debian virtual machine in virt-manager/KVM/QEMU.

When I run the Debian virtual machine, I don't really need the desktop environment, which is also resource consuming. Can I start Debian only on a text virtual console (e.g. like ctrl-alt-f1) instead of the graphical virtual console (i.e. ctrl-alt-f7) on the virtual machine?

Thanks.

debian kvm virt-manager virtual-consoles

share|improve this question

edited 2 days ago

Jeff Schaller♦

44.3k1162143

asked 2 days ago

TimTim

28.3k78269490

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Possible duplicate of How to disable X server autostart in Debian Jessie?
  
  – telcoM
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  And maybe, you should have installed Debian using a Netinstall ISO, that has the essential minimal for a Non-X setup - debian.org/distrib/netinst - Also, remember to not select a desktop environment during the setup process, or it will download it. Keep up the bare minimal, and the ssh server if you want...
  
  – nwildner
  yesterday
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  You could also not give a virtual graphics card at all to your VM and have the console on serial. Like for a physical server, that makes it easier to operate the VM as you can then more easily copy-paste text when you access that console from a terminal emulator on the host.
  
  – Stéphane Chazelas
  15 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @StéphaneChazelas Thanks. How shall I not give a virtual graphics card at all to your VM and have the console on serial?
  
  – Tim
  13 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

I have created a Debian virtual machine in virt-manager/KVM/QEMU.

When I run the Debian virtual machine, I don't really need the desktop environment, which is also resource consuming. Can I start Debian only on a text virtual console (e.g. like ctrl-alt-f1) instead of the graphical virtual console (i.e. ctrl-alt-f7) on the virtual machine?

Thanks.

debian kvm virt-manager virtual-consoles

share|improve this question

edited 2 days ago

Jeff Schaller♦

44.3k1162143

asked 2 days ago

TimTim

28.3k78269490

share|improve this question

edited 2 days ago

Jeff Schaller♦

44.3k1162143

asked 2 days ago

TimTim

28.3k78269490

share|improve this question

edited 2 days ago

Jeff Schaller♦

44.3k1162143

asked 2 days ago

TimTim

28.3k78269490

edited 2 days ago

Jeff Schaller♦

44.3k1162143

edited 2 days ago

Jeff Schaller♦

44.3k1162143

asked 2 days ago

TimTim

28.3k78269490

asked 2 days ago

TimTim

28.3k78269490

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

1

You need to switch from the graphical.target to multi-user.target:

systemctl set-default multi-user.target
reboot

then use the chvt to switch between tty.

---

If debian already up , you can use the virsh send-key command from the host machine to switch to the tty.

e,g: to switch to tty2 use the following command:

virsh send-key guest --codeset linux KEY_LEFTCTRL KEY_LEFTALT KEY_F2

( guest is the VM Name use virsh list --all to get the exact name)

Edit

To switch to the GUI from the default multi-user target:

systemctl start graphical.target

You should start the graphical target then you will be able to send Ctrl+Alt+F7 from the host.

share|improve this answer

edited 18 hours ago

answered yesterday

GAD3RGAD3R

27.7k1858114

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks. (1) With multi-user.target, can I switch to GUI? Sending ctrl-alt-f7 from host by virsh send-key guest --codeset linux KEY_LEFTCTRL KEY_LEFTALT KEY_F7 doesn't seem to work. (2) With graphical.target, if I switch to a text virtual console from GUI console by ctrl-alt-f1, can I kill the GUI processes?
  
  – Tim
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

2

There are several ways of going about this, but in your case, I think the best one is to remove the display manager and anything which depends on it, for example

sudo apt purge lightdm

Next time you set up a VM, if you don’t want a graphical environment, you can skip installing it altogether.

share|improve this answer

answered yesterday

Stephen KittStephen Kitt

178k24406484

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks. Why uninstall lightdm, instead of Xorg?
  
  – Tim
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Because removing the display manager is sufficient to get Debian to start on a text VC, which is what you asked for in your question.
  
  – Stephen Kitt
  17 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If I uninstall Xorg, which virtual console will it ends up with? Will Debian still start the display manager which then forks other processes, regardless of whether Xorg is installed or not?
  
  – Tim
  14 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Well, have you tried it? The answer depends on the display manager. Just uninstall the display manager.
  
  – Stephen Kitt
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

Your Answer

StackExchange.ready(function()
var channelOptions =
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "106"
;
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function()
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled)
StackExchange.using("snippets", function()
createEditor();
);

else
createEditor();

);

function createEditor()
StackExchange.prepareEditor(
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader:
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
,
onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
);



);

draft saved

draft discarded

Sign up or log in

StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);

Sign up using Google

Sign up using Facebook

Sign up using Email and Password

Post as a guest

Name

Email

Required, but never shown

StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2funix.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f509105%2fcan-i-start-debian-on-a-text-virtual-console-in-a-virtual-machine%23new-answer', 'question_page');

);

Post as a guest

Name

Email

Required, but never shown

1

You need to switch from the graphical.target to multi-user.target:

systemctl set-default multi-user.target
reboot

then use the chvt to switch between tty.

---

If debian already up , you can use the virsh send-key command from the host machine to switch to the tty.

e,g: to switch to tty2 use the following command:

virsh send-key guest --codeset linux KEY_LEFTCTRL KEY_LEFTALT KEY_F2

( guest is the VM Name use virsh list --all to get the exact name)

Edit

To switch to the GUI from the default multi-user target:

systemctl start graphical.target

You should start the graphical target then you will be able to send Ctrl+Alt+F7 from the host.

share|improve this answer

edited 18 hours ago

answered yesterday

GAD3RGAD3R

27.7k1858114

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks. (1) With multi-user.target, can I switch to GUI? Sending ctrl-alt-f7 from host by virsh send-key guest --codeset linux KEY_LEFTCTRL KEY_LEFTALT KEY_F7 doesn't seem to work. (2) With graphical.target, if I switch to a text virtual console from GUI console by ctrl-alt-f1, can I kill the GUI processes?
  
  – Tim
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

1

You need to switch from the graphical.target to multi-user.target:

systemctl set-default multi-user.target
reboot

then use the chvt to switch between tty.

---

If debian already up , you can use the virsh send-key command from the host machine to switch to the tty.

e,g: to switch to tty2 use the following command:

virsh send-key guest --codeset linux KEY_LEFTCTRL KEY_LEFTALT KEY_F2

( guest is the VM Name use virsh list --all to get the exact name)

Edit

To switch to the GUI from the default multi-user target:

systemctl start graphical.target

You should start the graphical target then you will be able to send Ctrl+Alt+F7 from the host.

share|improve this answer

edited 18 hours ago

answered yesterday

GAD3RGAD3R

27.7k1858114

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks. (1) With multi-user.target, can I switch to GUI? Sending ctrl-alt-f7 from host by virsh send-key guest --codeset linux KEY_LEFTCTRL KEY_LEFTALT KEY_F7 doesn't seem to work. (2) With graphical.target, if I switch to a text virtual console from GUI console by ctrl-alt-f1, can I kill the GUI processes?
  
  – Tim
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

You need to switch from the graphical.target to multi-user.target:

systemctl set-default multi-user.target
reboot

then use the chvt to switch between tty.

---

If debian already up , you can use the virsh send-key command from the host machine to switch to the tty.

e,g: to switch to tty2 use the following command:

virsh send-key guest --codeset linux KEY_LEFTCTRL KEY_LEFTALT KEY_F2

( guest is the VM Name use virsh list --all to get the exact name)

Edit

To switch to the GUI from the default multi-user target:

systemctl start graphical.target

You should start the graphical target then you will be able to send Ctrl+Alt+F7 from the host.

share|improve this answer

edited 18 hours ago

answered yesterday

GAD3RGAD3R

27.7k1858114

systemctl set-default multi-user.target
reboot

virsh send-key guest --codeset linux KEY_LEFTCTRL KEY_LEFTALT KEY_F2

systemctl start graphical.target

share|improve this answer

edited 18 hours ago

answered yesterday

GAD3RGAD3R

27.7k1858114

answered yesterday

GAD3RGAD3R

27.7k1858114

answered yesterday

GAD3RGAD3R

27.7k1858114

2

There are several ways of going about this, but in your case, I think the best one is to remove the display manager and anything which depends on it, for example

sudo apt purge lightdm

Next time you set up a VM, if you don’t want a graphical environment, you can skip installing it altogether.

share|improve this answer

answered yesterday

Stephen KittStephen Kitt

178k24406484

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks. Why uninstall lightdm, instead of Xorg?
  
  – Tim
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Because removing the display manager is sufficient to get Debian to start on a text VC, which is what you asked for in your question.
  
  – Stephen Kitt
  17 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If I uninstall Xorg, which virtual console will it ends up with? Will Debian still start the display manager which then forks other processes, regardless of whether Xorg is installed or not?
  
  – Tim
  14 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Well, have you tried it? The answer depends on the display manager. Just uninstall the display manager.
  
  – Stephen Kitt
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

2

There are several ways of going about this, but in your case, I think the best one is to remove the display manager and anything which depends on it, for example

sudo apt purge lightdm

Next time you set up a VM, if you don’t want a graphical environment, you can skip installing it altogether.

share|improve this answer

answered yesterday

Stephen KittStephen Kitt

178k24406484

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks. Why uninstall lightdm, instead of Xorg?
  
  – Tim
  yesterday
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Because removing the display manager is sufficient to get Debian to start on a text VC, which is what you asked for in your question.
  
  – Stephen Kitt
  17 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If I uninstall Xorg, which virtual console will it ends up with? Will Debian still start the display manager which then forks other processes, regardless of whether Xorg is installed or not?
  
  – Tim
  14 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Well, have you tried it? The answer depends on the display manager. Just uninstall the display manager.
  
  – Stephen Kitt
  14 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

There are several ways of going about this, but in your case, I think the best one is to remove the display manager and anything which depends on it, for example

sudo apt purge lightdm

Next time you set up a VM, if you don’t want a graphical environment, you can skip installing it altogether.

share|improve this answer

answered yesterday

Stephen KittStephen Kitt

178k24406484

sudo apt purge lightdm

share|improve this answer

answered yesterday

Stephen KittStephen Kitt

178k24406484

answered yesterday

Stephen KittStephen Kitt

178k24406484

answered yesterday

Stephen KittStephen Kitt

178k24406484