Running Ubuntu box headless

[Chuck Vose]

On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 16:07:08 +1100, Robert Parker <bposs at dodo.com.au> wrote:
> I can log into Gnome on the Ubuntu box and transfer any isos on to it via scp
> and clean them out of the debian box via ssh.
> 
> When I try to log into the Ubuntu box from debian via ssh all I get is
> permision denied errors, so the first thing I need to learn is how to get
> past that.
> 

Can you tell us a little more about the errors or print one out?
There's a lot of errors in the world and it may be completely
unrelated to ssh.

> Secondly I need to add to the Grub menu.lst so it boots into command line
> mode not Gnome, and I suppose automatically logs in to some user when I start
> it without having a monitor/kb/mouse connected.
> 

This is blindly easy, in your menu.lst all you have to do is add 3 to
the end of the line starting with kernel and it'll boot into runlevel
3 (which is non-X multiuser) or a 5 to boot automatically into X. I
think you've already figured out that you'll need to copy and paste so
you have two entries so I won't go over it but if you need examples
let me know.

Lastly, booting into a user is usually a waste of time. Most servers
don't have people log in via keyboard ever. My server is sitting in a
closet upstairs and hasn't seen a keyboard since installation.
Auto-logging in a user would be a waste of time, resources, and a
security problem. Not to mention there are almost no easy ways to do
this :)

-Chuck