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I was attempting to install a command line only version of Ubuntu and followed the instructions here.

I downloaded the alternate CD and went through the installation, but never got an "Install a command-line system." option.

12.04 is now up and running, though I don't need the desktop GUI. From what I have read I can set it back into text mode using grub, but what packages should I remove that I don't need any more?

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Ne0
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    If you want to install a command-line only version of Ubuntu, I would recommend installing Ubuntu Server. By default, it doesn't install any server packages like Apache, it asks you during installation. – Flimm Nov 21 '12 at 16:27
  • That was my first thought, but then I read about installing the desktop version with command-line-only option and thought that was the way to go. – Ne0 Nov 22 '12 at 09:15
  • I've never heard of that option. – Flimm Nov 22 '12 at 13:41

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I'm not sure why the answer about the grub setting that you've linked to is marked as correct, it shouldn't work. This other answer is the correct one. shows a configuration that will stop upstart from even trying to start lightdm. Adding text to the boot cmdline will instead make lightdm's upstart script bail out early when upstart tries to launch it.

The package for the Ubuntu desktop GUI is appropriately named ubuntu-desktop. Remove this and all dependencies of it that you don't explicitly need anymore if disk space is an issue. But if disk space is not a problem, you could just leave them installed, because they won't use any other resources as long as they're not actually used.

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Rörd
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  • I can confirm the grub setting (http://askubuntu.com/questions/52089/how-do-i-boot-to-a-command-line-interface-instead-of-a-gui) does indeed work. I think i will just leave them on there for now, it was just annoying having to install them all in the first place. – Ne0 Nov 22 '12 at 09:06
  • Right, I understand that grub setting now. It was very hard to find out how it works exactly, though. It's in the lightdm upstart script /etc/init/lightdm.com where this setting is actually handled. I will edit my answer accordingly. – Rörd Nov 22 '12 at 15:25