Q. How do I start or stop X.Org from a command prompt?
ADVERTISEMENTS
A. X.org is open-source implementation of the X11 system. It is an open source X11-based desktop infrastructure. Xorg provides an interface between your hardware and the graphical software you want to run. Besides that, Xorg is also fully network-aware, meaning you are able to run an application on one system while viewing it on a different one.
Start X.Org Server
There are two ways, just type startx:
$ startx
Alternatively, run init script such as /etc/init.d/gdm
# /etc/init.d/gdm start
OR
$ sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start
Ctrl+Alt+Backspace – to stop server
Press Ctrl+Alt+Backspace to immediately kill the server – no questions asked.
Agian, you can use init script to stop session:
# /etc/init.d/gdm stop
OR
$ sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop
🐧 Get the latest tutorials on SysAdmin, Linux/Unix, Open Source/DevOps topics:
- RSS feed or Weekly email newsletter
- Share to Twitter • Facebook • 7 comments... add one ↓
UP NEXT
Kill Process in Linux or Terminate a Process in UNIX / Linux Systems
Linux / UNIX: Kill Command Examples
How to force kill process in Linux using kill and killall
Linux: Configure Xorg X11 Window System
CentOS Install Java SDK using yum Command
Linux / Unix: killall Command Examples
HowTo: Use ps, kill, nice, and killall To Manage processes in FreeBSD and OS X Unix Operating System
| Category | List of Unix and Linux commands |
|---|---|
| File Management | cat |
| Firewall | CentOS 8 • OpenSUSE • RHEL 8 • Ubuntu 16.04 • Ubuntu 18.04 • Ubuntu 20.04 |
| Network Utilities | dig • host • ip • nmap |
| OpenVPN | CentOS 7 • CentOS 8 • Debian 10 • Debian 8/9 • Ubuntu 18.04 • Ubuntu 20.04 |
| Package Manager | apk • apt |
| Processes Management | bg • chroot • cron • disown • fg • jobs • killall • kill • pidof • pstree • pwdx • time |
| Searching | grep • whereis • which |
| User Information | groups • id • lastcomm • last • lid/libuser-lid • logname • members • users • whoami • who • w |
| WireGuard VPN | CentOS 8 • Debian 10 • Firewall • Ubuntu 20.04 |
Another method is to change the runlever…
init 3 – turn off X
init 5 – turn on X
didn’t work for ubuntu 9.04 at all !! could start but nit stop :-(
and neither did the runlevels changes using init
Doesn’t work for kubuntu 10.10 either
For kubuntu, you would need to replace gdm with kdm, i believe
this was disabled for several versions now, use this first:
setxkbmap -option terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp
then you can use the keystrokes
Several reasons? I just want to turn off X so that I can run the Nividia script!! i don’t understand why this has to be so difficult.
Setting init 3 (after hitting CTRL+ALT+F2 at login screen) did it for me so I was able to install the drivers.