Linux boot process

There seems to be a strong interest when interviewing in this process.

• bios
• stands for: basic input / output system
• does system integrity checks
• find and runs MBR boot loader program
• mbr
• located on first sector of bootable disk
• under 512 bytes, 3 parts
• primary boot loader info (446 bytes)
• disk partition info (64 bytes)
• mbr validation check (last 2 bytes)
• contains info on GRUB
• summary: loads and exec GRUB
• grub
• kernel
• init
• runlevel

Ubuntu: convert desktop to server fast

Below as root:

1. apt-get remove ubuntu-desktop
2. apt-get install linux-server linux-image-server
3. apt-get purge lightdm
4. /etc/default/grub, change matching lines to below
1. #GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT [comment it out]
2. GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=""
3. GRUB_TERMINAL=console
5. update-grub
6. reboot

Taken: http://www.darrinhodges.com/converting-ubuntu-12-04-lts-desktop-to-server/