Okay im running

ubuntu

  710jeos as a virtual with vmware
player, i would like to :

apt-get install

ubuntu

 -desktop

and then of course run it with gdm

now my question is (and i hope this is the correct place
to post this) how do i return to booting in console only.

after the apt-get install

ubuntu

 -desktop it boots automatically
into gnome..and i want it so that the gui is a choice i type as
a console command (gdm or startx) How do i quit out of gnome
to get back to the terminal>?  Bueller?

   

You probably have a file

/etc/inittab

in there will be a line that says to start in run level 5:

id:5:initdefault:

change it to run level 3:

id:3:initdefault: