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.

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:

• Click on “X Server Display Configuration” (in the upper left)
• On the right: click on the tab Display (probably open already)
• Resolution:click on the arrow after “Auto”
• Choose the screen resolution that you want
• Click on “Save to X Configuration File”
• Click on “Save and exit”
• Do a full reboot of your computer. Now the screen resolution should be right.

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.

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

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