Start Ubuntu in Text Mode

This is how to edit grub so you can restart ubuntu in text mode without loading the video drivers and Unity desktop

sudo gedit /etc/default/grub

Comment out the line that says GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

Add the following line:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="text"

When you are finished with the edit it sould look like this:

# GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="text"

save grub - then run sudo update-grub

Reboot Ubuntu:

sudo shutdown -r now

This is how to edit grub again so it will restart in graphics mode

This time you want to uncomment GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
and comment out GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="text"

It should look like this:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
# GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="text"​

save the file

Update grub:

sudo update-grub

Reboot ubuntu