How to access GUI from TTY mode?

Question

I am using Ubuntu 13.10 32-bit. I am using terminal mode to test a Window Manager.

I know I can use Ctrl+Alt+F1 to go to terminal mode from the GUI mode. But there is still graphical desktop running in background.

Is there a command to move from CLI to GUI mode so that I can access that GUI?

Answer 1

You can either:

Press Ctrl+Alt+F7 *

Or

Run the command startx

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If your desktop environment is using Wayland

Press Ctrl+Alt+F8 instead.

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* From the 17.10 Release Notes:

• GDM has replaced LightDM as the default display manager. The login screen now uses virtual terminal 1 instead of virtual terminal 7.

Also see Why is my GDM at a different TTY than my desktop environment? for more about the origin of this change.

Answer 2

To check your default display manager (DM):

cat /etc/X11/default-display-manager

To check if the display manager is running:

ps cax | grep display_manager

e.g.: if it's lightdm:

ps cax | grep lightdm

(you can then follow up with echo $? command, an output 0(zero) indicate its running or otherwise.)

To start a DM:

sudo start display_manager

e.g.:

sudo start lightdm

To stop a DM:

sudo stop display_manager

e.g.:

sudo stop lightdm

To restart a DM:

sudo restart display_manager

e.g.:

sudo restart lightdm

Answer 3

Try this command on virtual console,

sudo service $(cat /etc/X11/default-display-manager | awk '{print substr($1,11)}' ) restart

Answer 4

You can use sudo chvt 1 if you normally do Ctrl+Alt+F1.

Answer 5

the best way to test window manager safely is to use Xephyr. see man pages for more details.

I assume you use gnome-terminal here.

1. start Xephyr
   $ Xephyr :1
2. Ctrl+Shitf+T open a new tab
   $ export DISPLAY=:1
   $ type_your_window_manager_command_here

Now you can play with your window manager in the Xephyr window.