[ubuntu-uk] Server won't start without screen

[Paul Willis]

Hi

I set up Ubuntu 10.04 LTS server on a Mac Mini and shipped it off to our other office (too far for me to go and troubleshoot) where they plugged in a screen configured the network settings in the cli and then unplugged the screen.

Everything worked fine until at some point a few weeks later the machine was switched off and when turned on again it wouldn't boot up properly (well it wouldn't appear on the network) until a screen was plugged in at which point it booted fine and appeared on the network without any problem.

Unfortunately I'm not sure how the unit came to have the power disconnected it is plugged into a UPS all I know is that it was turned off when staff came in in the morning.

This same scenario occurred a second time a week or so later and once again a screen was required for the server to be fully operational.

When it starts up with a screen I'm told there is nothing unusual and it just shows the login prompt - there is no windowing system installed it's a basic LAMP server installation

We have another Mac Mini (not 100% the same spec but as close as damn it) with exactly the same Ubuntu 10.04 LTS server installation on it and that boots headless without any problems

So my questions: Is there some setting somewhere in Ubuntu that requires a screen to be plugged in that I can disable? Is something else going on here? Is it possible that if the server is booted with a screen and then shut down by a power failure expects a screen on reboot and is confused if there isn't one attached?

Cheers

Paul