10.04 won't boot without monitor / keyboard (headless)

[bab1]

An more.

I tried to sudo gedit the xorg.conf, and it was empty.. That's strange I thought. I'm sure i saw stuff in there. So i just navigated to it and there was stuff in there (As per post24)

So back to sudo gedit /etc/x11/xorg.conf ..... empty. hmm

Pasted in the contents again and it wouldn't let me save it saying something about not existing.

Double checked the path... nope got it right. So what's going on??

I can look in /etc/x11/xorg.conf with nautilus and see the contents but if I sudo gedit /etc/x11/xorg.conf there's nothing in there and furthermore I cannot edit it.

arrgghh

any thoughts greatly appreciated

wjam

The file should be at: /etc/X11/xorg.conf (capital X). If you are going to use a GUI text editor such as gedit then the incantation from the terminal should be

gksudo gedit/etc/X11/xorg.conf

If you wish to use a terminal based editor such as nano or vim you can use

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

The command sudo should only be used for terminal based apps. The command gksudo is used for GUI based apps (even if you are launching them from the terminal). FYI -- to detach the GUI editor from the terminal you can use an & at the end of the incantation. This will allow you to close or reuse the terminal without killing gedit. It looks like this

gksudo /etc/X11/xorg.conf &

[neltron]

thank you.
this worked for me with post #21 bapools xorg.conf file as indicated
full boot to desktop with monitor plugged in.

[neltron]

*without* monitor. (headless)

[leonelgracias]

The post #24 work for me
I have a Ubuntu Lucid.

Just have to install x11vnc before change xorg.conf

Thanks.

[ramsrom]

For ubuntu 11.10 the only thin which worked was

1) Install dummy monitor by

sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-dummy

2) Backup xorg.conf by

sudo  mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak

3) Then create a new xorg.conf

sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

with:

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "Configured Video Device"
    Driver      "dummy"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier  "Configured Monitor"
    HorizSync 31.5-48.5
    VertRefresh 50-70
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier  "Default Screen"
    Monitor     "Configured Monitor"
    Device      "Configured Video Device"
    DefaultDepth 24
    SubSection "Display"
    Depth 24
    Modes "1024x800"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

(seen on: http://blog.mediafederation.com/andy...a-800x600-fix/)

[fruitytuter]

here's a simple hardware solution that causes computer to recognize a fake monitor, all you need is three, 75 ohm resistors.
here is the link
http://www.overclockers.com/forums/s...d.php?t=666716

[SergeantPanda]

For ubuntu 11.10 the only thin which worked was

1) Install dummy monitor by

sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-dummy

2) Backup xorg.conf by

sudo  mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak

3) Then create a new xorg.conf

sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

with:

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "Configured Video Device"
    Driver      "dummy"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier  "Configured Monitor"
    HorizSync 31.5-48.5
    VertRefresh 50-70
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier  "Default Screen"
    Monitor     "Configured Monitor"
    Device      "Configured Video Device"
    DefaultDepth 24
    SubSection "Display"
    Depth 24
    Modes "1024x800"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

(seen on: http://blog.mediafederation.com/andy...a-800x600-fix/)

Worked perfectly for me. Thanks!

[varelov]

Sorry to dig up such an ancient topic from grave, but I need help. Trouble following instructions per /etc/default/grub. Such a file doesn't exist on my system, ubuntu 10.04. Boots otherwise just fine. What would the alternative to this file be?

[SergeantPanda]

Sorry to dig up such an ancient topic from grave, but I need help. Trouble following instructions per /etc/default/grub. Such a file doesn't exist on my system, ubuntu 10.04. Boots otherwise just fine. What would the alternative to this file be?

I think it's under "/boot/grub".

[iRiKi]

YEA! I got it.

The answer is actually a combination of two separate solutions, each of which did not work separately. I have 10.04 now working headless on two different servers (different MB, Video...) and both are working great.

Step 1. Create a xorg.conf in (...)
Step 2. Disable KMS for your video card (...)
Step 3. Reboot...Putty In...startx...GTG!

OH MAN I COULD KISS YOU RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

Spend DAYS looking for this solution.. HEADLESS 10.04 LTS 64bits but nothing worked.. until you came and saved the day!!

If I weren't buried in depth and without a job, I would surely donate! Thank you, neoliberals!

Again, thank you so much!!

*NOTE* I had previously also installed the x11 dummy driver
(sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-dummy) in case someone trying this.