Table of Contents

Ubuntu - Boot - Fix Boot Problems

Black screen after installation of the closed non-free Nvidia driver

The latest kernels have moved the video mode setting into the kernel. So all the programming of the hardware specific clock rates and registers on the video card happen in the kernel, rather than in the X driver when the X server starts.

This makes it possible to have high-resolution nice looking splash (boot) screens, and flicker-free transitions from boot splash to login screen.

Unfortunately, on some cards this doesn't work properly and you end up with a black screen. Other problems may be a big boot delay, sometimes coupled with a loss of the configured desktop wallpaper. In particular, some closed non-free Nvidia drivers appear to be affected.

Edit /etc/default/grub.

/etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

Replace it by this line:

/etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="nomodeset"

Save the modified configuration file and close it.

Then run:

sudo update-grub

Finally, reboot.


The screen resolution is not right, after installation of the closed non-free Nvidia driver

Note: the following applies only to Nvidia graphics cards running on the Nvidia restricted driver.

sudo apt-get install nvidia-settings

Then type:

nvidia-settings

Now you can configure your screens properly, with this handy tool from Nvidia. As follows:


Reboot Fails

Some laptops won't reboot. The computer simply “hangs” after a rebooting attempt.

In most cases this has to do with BIOS and (U)EFI. You can remedy it as follows:

Edit /etc/default/grub.

/etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

Replace it by this line:

/etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="reboot=efi"

Save the modified configuration file and close it.

Then run:

sudo update-grub

Now shut your computer down (do not reboot!).

Turn it on again, and after logging into your user account, try to reboot it.

This should work now.


Add Profile ti Grub

The 'profile' is for all the drivers needed to boot first, then handing off the sequence.

sudo vi /etc/default/grub

Replace

/etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=”quiet splash” 

with:

/etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=”quiet splash profile”. <-- Don't forget the quotes.

save and exit.

sudo update-grub && sudo update-grub2

Disk issues stopping a proper boot

Boot to the GRUB menu.

Choose Advanced Options.

Choose Recovery mode.

Choose Root access.

At the # prompt, type:

sudo fsck -f /

Repeat the fsck command if there were errors.

type

reboot