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I've got an interesting question today. I want to remove EVERYTHING from my Ubuntu install (or remove the OS and just add an empty kernel), but in either case I don't know exactly how. I want a totally primitive system that I can then add too from the ground up, just a kernel with its built in library of functions.

There are two reasons I want to do this. The first is to learn the command line in a "do or die" environment, both to expand my current knowledge in general and, since I 'tweak' around the system a lot, prepare myself for the inevitable. So, assuming I've already backed up, could someone help walk me through dumping everything from the system, including GUI, so the system is a CLI only (much like hitting the key combo CTRL + ALT + F#).

Note: I don't have any CD's or USB's at the moment so I can't install some other linux OS, I just want to keep what I have on here and just take its clothes off.

Also, I do understand I can change my /etc/default/grub file and change the line "...."quiet splash" to "text", but that's not what I want. I actually want to build it myself. So instead of having to search and ask "What's installed on here and do I need it?" I can just say "What do I need to install on here?"

Pilot6
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Jerry White
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    Souds like a rather silly way to learn the command line. Wouldn't you be better off running a server edition in VBox? – mikewhatever Aug 08 '15 at 05:02
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    Well maybe but it's like LFS, I want to know everything going on under the hood and have it built for me. How would I build a server, that's CLI only, into a full desktop? Would it all function the same way as starting from kernel? I guess close enough is close enough, I already have a cd of ubuntu server, could I dual boot? Run my usual ubuntu set up (So I have internet and all my own custom scripts) but also be able to boot into the server only? I don't really know how to partition (shameful really) but if theres a way to do it without ripping my system, then I'm all for it. – Jerry White Aug 08 '15 at 05:19
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    (1) a system with just a kernel is useless, a minimum viable Linux system includes an extensive userland with an init system, a shell and compiler. (2) If you want to learn the command line, just use it. Log in without an X server and see how far you get. (3) Crippling an existing system seems stupid. Instead, use a VM which allows you to try out things faster. The Linux From Scratch Website has resources for building a Linux system from the kernel up, which should explain the complexity involved. – amon Aug 08 '15 at 05:57
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    I agree with amon. The way I learned command line is by using it every day, through the default terminal emulator gnome-terminal. On every graphical login I've two things starting : firefox and gnome-terminal. Or do it the "old-school" way : set GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="text" in the /etc/grub/default and start GUI only with startx command when needed. Oh, and invest into some books, like Ubuntu Linux Toolbox and Unix by Example. The last one is gold ( literally ! ) for scripting. If you have C background - Linux Programming Interface book – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy Aug 08 '15 at 06:15
  • Yeah, looking into the complextiy of it all I think there is a better way. I'm trying to learn the command line by using everyday, and perhaps moving to text only mode would be a good way to do that. I installed ubuntu server but quickly found myself at a loss without access to firefox – Jerry White Aug 08 '15 at 07:38
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    @JerryWhite By the way, another method of learning is through helping people on this site. I've been on this site for a year, now at 10k reputation. The community is great here,too. Oh, and there is a text only browser for terminal called elinks. I keep it just in case I ever break the GUI ;-) – Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy Aug 08 '15 at 07:47
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    possible duplicate of Remove packages to tranform ubuntu Desktop to Server? – muru Aug 08 '15 at 09:45
  • I know you want to remove all packages, but you also want to become expert at using the CLI. So, configure Grub to CLI and learn to manually find and remove each package you don't want. Then, you can add the ones you want and possibly keep the ones you want as well. – Buck Aug 08 '15 at 11:49
  • If you have no media to install other OSes from, do you have a way to back up and restore in case you crash? – Buck Aug 08 '15 at 11:52

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Install Ubuntu server if you don't want a desktop environment. You can always install Unity later by:

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

It would run almost similar to Ubuntu Desktop after you install Unity. See this answer here for differences between server and desktop version of Ubuntu.

But this is completely different from what you asked for. For one thing, you can't do anything with just the kernel. What you are asking for is Ubuntu Core. More information here.

If you are comfortable enough with linux and not a beginner, you can try Arch Linux. It is a linux distribution which is an answer to your question, and also it has a very good documentation on how to do what you want.

daltonfury42
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  • do you mean [ sudo apt-get install ubuntu-server ] ? and I'm going to do some research on Arch and see if that's what I want. Thanks – Jerry White Aug 08 '15 at 05:31
  • @JerryWhite I was saying that on the Ubuntu Server, run sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop to install the GUI. – daltonfury42 Aug 08 '15 at 05:33
  • Aye, gotcha, I like this Arch idea, I'll keep it stored in my brain and go ahead and install my server disk. Before I do that there are a few things I don't know, should I just assume for all intents and purposes the CLI of the server OS is the same as for the terminal of the ubuntu OS?... EDIT: That's prlloy to vague, what I mean is are all the commands like sudo, less, apt-get blah blah the same. I think it's called a function library ?? – Jerry White Aug 08 '15 at 05:40
  • @JerryWhite Yes, there are a few differences which won't be affecting you. See this answer – daltonfury42 Aug 08 '15 at 05:43