Distributions with systemd
After installation of Linux Mint and configuration of the hardware,
Run systemctl set-default multi-user.target to set runlevel to 3,
which means text environment without GUI.
Then reboot.
When you want to use desktop environment, install i3 and urxvt, then some GUI applications can run, like zathura.
Or set the runlevel back to 5
with systemctl set-default graphical.target and reboot.
You can use
Get current runlevel with systemctl get-default.
Note:
Do NOT use systemctl isolate multi-user.target to change runlevel.
It only stop the current desktop environment.
The runlevel value is unchanged.
After reboot, you enter the desktop environment again.
The following notes are written in 2014.5.5 (deprecated):
RRM-based Linux
On rpm-based Linux, runlevel 3 means text mode, 5 means X desktop mode. So if you want only start OS without desktop environment, modify runlevel from 5 to 3.
You can do this as root with command: init 3, or modify /etc/inittab file and reboot:
from:
id:5:initdefault:
to:
id:3:initdefault:
Need verified.
Linux Mint
Open file /boot/grub/grub.cfg, in section "### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###", and then "menuentry ...", there's a command "linux /boot/vmlinuz...", replace string "quiet splash" with "text", save file and reboot.
Here "quiet", "splash" and "text" are all starting options. If you want only display Mint splash window, without printing boot messages, and finally start into console (not the login manager, GDM), use "quiet splash text".
Verified 2014/5/5.
Note: /etc/inittab is a config file originally used by init of Unix system V, which is deprecated by most Linux distros now. It's replaced by upstart or systemd.
Ref: