Black screen after GRUB menu

[MoonBlossom]

I finally found a solution!!

Adding nomodeset to GRUB fixed my problem. I can now boot 12.10 using the latest kernel (3.16.0-26-generic).

Thank you all for your help and I hope this solution can help some else having a similar issue.

[SteveRiley]

Hey, MoonBlossom... I totally forgot about this thread. I'm so sorry. However, using nomodeset can actually interfere with getting the proper drivers to load when X starts. Your computer might actually falling back to old-style VESA drivers. Would you please post your /var/log/Xorg.0.log here? Let's take a look at what's getting loaded.

[MoonBlossom]

No worries SteveRiley. Here it is the log:

[    24.806] 
X.Org X Server 1.16.0
Release Date: 2014-07-16
[    24.806] X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
[    24.806] Build Operating System: Linux 3.2.0-61-generic x86_64 Ubuntu
[    24.806] Current Operating System: Linux dusk 3.16.0-26-generic #35-Ubuntu SMP Mon Dec 1 19:19:18 UTC 2014 x86_64
[    24.806] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-26-generic root=UUID=fb778974-4e80-4bc9-881e-88e9d2c76e94 ro quiet splash nomodeset vt.handoff=7
[    24.806] Build Date: 10 September 2014  01:10:01PM
[    24.806] xorg-server 2:1.16.0-1ubuntu1 (For technical support please see http://www.ubuntu.com/support) 
[    24.806] Current version of pixman: 0.32.4
[    24.806] 	Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
	to make sure that you have the latest version.
[    24.806] Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
	(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
	(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
[    24.806] (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Tue Dec  2 18:47:36 2014
[    24.822] (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
[    24.822] (==) No Layout section.  Using the first Screen section.
[    24.822] (==) No screen section available. Using defaults.
[    24.822] (**) |-->Screen "Default Screen Section" (0)
[    24.822] (**) |   |-->Monitor "<default monitor>"
[    24.844] (==) No monitor specified for screen "Default Screen Section".
	Using a default monitor configuration.
[    24.844] (==) Automatically adding devices
[    24.844] (==) Automatically enabling devices
[    24.844] (==) Automatically adding GPU devices
[    24.844] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic" does not exist.
[    24.844] 	Entry deleted from font path.
[    24.844] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/" does not exist.
[    24.844] 	Entry deleted from font path.
[    24.844] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/" does not exist.
[    24.844] 	Entry deleted from font path.
[    24.844] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi" does not exist.
[    24.844] 	Entry deleted from font path.
[    24.844] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi" does not exist.
[    24.844] 	Entry deleted from font path.
[    24.844] (==) FontPath set to:
	/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc,
	/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1,
	built-ins
[    24.844] (==) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/xorg/extra-modules,/usr/lib/xorg/extra-modules,/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
[    24.844] (II) The server relies on udev to provide the list of input devices.
	If no devices become available, reconfigure udev or disable AutoAddDevices.
[    24.851] (II) Loader magic: 0x7fc11778fd80
[    24.851] (II) Module ABI versions:
[    24.851] 	X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.4
[    24.851] 	X.Org Video Driver: 18.0
[    24.851] 	X.Org XInput driver : 21.0
[    24.851] 	X.Org Server Extension : 8.0
[    24.852] (--) PCI:*(0:0:2:0) 8086:0a16:104d:90c3 rev 9, Mem @ 0xb5000000/4194304, 0xc0000000/268435456, I/O @ 0x00006000/64
[    24.852] (--) PCI: (0:4:0:0) 10de:1291:104d:90c3 rev 161, Mem @ 0xb4000000/16777216, 0xa0000000/268435456, 0xb0000000/33554432, I/O @ 0x00004000/128
[    24.863] (II) LoadModule: "glx"
[    24.885] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libglx.so
[    25.160] (II) Module glx: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    25.160] 	compiled for 1.16.0, module version = 1.0.0
[    25.160] 	ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 8.0
[    25.160] (==) AIGLX enabled
[    25.160] (==) Matched intel as autoconfigured driver 0
[    25.160] (==) Matched modesetting as autoconfigured driver 1
[    25.160] (==) Matched fbdev as autoconfigured driver 2
[    25.160] (==) Matched vesa as autoconfigured driver 3
[    25.160] (==) Assigned the driver to the xf86ConfigLayout
[    25.160] (II) LoadModule: "intel"
[    25.176] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/intel_drv.so
[    25.230] (II) Module intel: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    25.230] 	compiled for 1.16.0, module version = 2.99.914
[    25.230] 	Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[    25.230] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 18.0
[    25.230] (II) LoadModule: "modesetting"
[    25.231] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/modesetting_drv.so
[    25.231] (II) Module modesetting: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    25.231] 	compiled for 1.16.0, module version = 0.9.0
[    25.231] 	Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[    25.231] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 18.0
[    25.231] (II) LoadModule: "fbdev"
[    25.231] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fbdev_drv.so
[    25.231] (II) Module fbdev: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    25.231] 	compiled for 1.16.0, module version = 0.4.4
[    25.231] 	Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[    25.231] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 18.0
[    25.231] (II) LoadModule: "vesa"
[    25.231] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vesa_drv.so
[    25.231] (II) Module vesa: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    25.231] 	compiled for 1.16.0, module version = 2.3.3
[    25.231] 	Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[    25.231] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 18.0
[    25.231] (II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) Integrated Graphics Chipsets:
	i810, i810-dc100, i810e, i815, i830M, 845G, 854, 852GM/855GM, 865G,
	915G, E7221 (i915), 915GM, 945G, 945GM, 945GME, Pineview GM,
	Pineview G, 965G, G35, 965Q, 946GZ, 965GM, 965GME/GLE, G33, Q35, Q33,
	GM45, 4 Series, G45/G43, Q45/Q43, G41, B43
[    25.231] (II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) HD Graphics: 2000-6000
[    25.231] (II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) Iris(TM) Graphics: 5100, 6100
[    25.231] (II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) Iris(TM) Pro Graphics: 5200, 6200, P6300
[    25.231] (II) modesetting: Driver for Modesetting Kernel Drivers: kms
[    25.231] (II) FBDEV: driver for framebuffer: fbdev
[    25.232] (II) VESA: driver for VESA chipsets: vesa
[    25.232] (++) using VT number 7

[    25.234] (EE) open /dev/dri/card0: No such file or directory
[    25.234] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for modesetting
[    25.234] (EE) open /dev/dri/card0: No such file or directory
[    25.234] (II) Loading sub module "fbdevhw"
[    25.234] (II) LoadModule: "fbdevhw"
[    25.234] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libfbdevhw.so
[    25.234] (II) Module fbdevhw: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    25.234] 	compiled for 1.16.0, module version = 0.0.2
[    25.234] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 18.0
[    25.234] (**) FBDEV(1): claimed PCI slot 0@0:2:0
[    25.234] (II) FBDEV(1): using default device
[    25.234] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for vesa
[    25.234] (EE) Screen 0 deleted because of no matching config section.
[    25.234] (II) UnloadModule: "modesetting"
[    25.234] (II) FBDEV(0): Creating default Display subsection in Screen section
	"Default Screen Section" for depth/fbbpp 24/32
[    25.234] (==) FBDEV(0): Depth 24, (==) framebuffer bpp 32
[    25.234] (==) FBDEV(0): RGB weight 888
[    25.234] (==) FBDEV(0): Default visual is TrueColor
[    25.234] (==) FBDEV(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
[    25.234] (II) FBDEV(0): hardware: VESA VGA (video memory: 8128kB)
[    25.234] (II) FBDEV(0): checking modes against framebuffer device...
[    25.234] (II) FBDEV(0): checking modes against monitor...
[    25.234] (--) FBDEV(0): Virtual size is 1920x1080 (pitch 1920)
[    25.234] (**) FBDEV(0):  Built-in mode "current": 207.4 MHz, 85.3 kHz, 77.2 Hz
[    25.234] (II) FBDEV(0): Modeline "current"x0.0  207.38  1920 1952 2192 2432  1080 1084 1088 1104 -hsync -vsync -csync (85.3 kHz b)
[    25.234] (==) FBDEV(0): DPI set to (96, 96)
[    25.234] (II) Loading sub module "fb"
[    25.234] (II) LoadModule: "fb"
[    25.234] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libfb.so
[    25.234] (II) Module fb: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    25.234] 	compiled for 1.16.0, module version = 1.0.0
[    25.234] 	ABI class: X.Org ANSI C Emulation, version 0.4
[    25.234] (**) FBDEV(0): using shadow framebuffer
[    25.234] (II) Loading sub module "shadow"
[    25.234] (II) LoadModule: "shadow"
[    25.234] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libshadow.so
[    25.284] (II) Module shadow: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    25.284] 	compiled for 1.16.0, module version = 1.1.0
[    25.284] 	ABI class: X.Org ANSI C Emulation, version 0.4
[    25.284] (II) UnloadModule: "vesa"
[    25.284] (II) Unloading vesa
[    25.285] (==) Depth 24 pixmap format is 32 bpp
[    25.285] (EE) FBDEV(0): FBIOBLANK: Invalid argument
[    25.303] (==) FBDEV(0): Backing store enabled
[    25.304] (==) FBDEV(0): DPMS enabled
[    25.304] (==) RandR enabled
[    25.311] (II) SELinux: Disabled on system
[    25.311] (II) AIGLX: Screen 0 is not DRI2 capable
[    25.311] (EE) AIGLX: reverting to software rendering
[    27.070] (II) AIGLX: Loaded and initialized swrast
[    27.070] (II) GLX: Initialized DRISWRAST GL provider for screen 0
[    27.103] (II) XKB: reuse xkmfile /var/lib/xkb/server-B20D7FC79C7F597315E3E501AEF10E0D866E8E92.xkm
[    27.104] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Power Button (/dev/input/event2)
[    27.104] (**) Power Button: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[    27.104] (II) LoadModule: "evdev"
[    27.104] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/evdev_drv.so
[    27.123] (II) Module evdev: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    27.123] 	compiled for 1.16.0, module version = 2.9.0
[    27.123] 	Module class: X.Org XInput Driver
[    27.123] 	ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 21.0
[    27.123] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'Power Button'
[    27.123] (**) Power Button: always reports core events
[    27.123] (**) evdev: Power Button: Device: "/dev/input/event2"
[    27.124] (--) evdev: Power Button: Vendor 0 Product 0x1
[    27.124] (--) evdev: Power Button: Found keys
[    27.124] (II) evdev: Power Button: Configuring as keyboard
[    27.124] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXPWRBN:00/input/input2/event2"
[    27.124] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Power Button" (type: KEYBOARD, id 6)
[    27.124] (**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
[    27.124] (**) Option "xkb_model" "pc105"
[    27.124] (**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"
[    27.124] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Sony Vaio Keys (/dev/input/event5)
[    27.124] (**) Sony Vaio Keys: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[    27.124] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'Sony Vaio Keys'
[    27.124] (**) Sony Vaio Keys: always reports core events
[    27.124] (**) evdev: Sony Vaio Keys: Device: "/dev/input/event5"
[    27.124] (--) evdev: Sony Vaio Keys: Vendor 0x104d Product 0
[    27.124] (--) evdev: Sony Vaio Keys: Found keys
[    27.124] (II) evdev: Sony Vaio Keys: Configuring as keyboard
[    27.124] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0A08:00/device:01/SNY5001:00/input/input6/event5"
[    27.124] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Sony Vaio Keys" (type: KEYBOARD, id 7)
[    27.124] (**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
[    27.124] (**) Option "xkb_model" "pc105"
[    27.124] (**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"
[    27.125] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Sony Vaio Jogdial (/dev/input/event6)
[    27.125] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[    27.125] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
[    27.125] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Sony Vaio Jogdial (/dev/input/mouse1)
[    27.125] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[    27.125] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
[    27.125] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Power Button (/dev/input/event0)
[    27.125] (**) Power Button: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[    27.125] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'Power Button'
[    27.125] (**) Power Button: always reports core events
[    27.125] (**) evdev: Power Button: Device: "/dev/input/event0"
[    27.125] (--) evdev: Power Button: Vendor 0 Product 0x1
[    27.125] (--) evdev: Power Button: Found keys
[    27.125] (II) evdev: Power Button: Configuring as keyboard
[    27.125] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0C0C:00/input/input0/event0"
[    27.125] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Power Button" (type: KEYBOARD, id 8)
[    27.125] (**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
[    27.125] (**) Option "xkb_model" "pc105"
[    27.125] (**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"
[    27.125] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Lid Switch (/dev/input/event1)
[    27.125] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[    27.125] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
[    27.126] (II) config/udev: Adding input device N-trig DuoSense Pen (/dev/input/event10)
[    27.126] (**) N-trig DuoSense Pen: Applying InputClass "evdev tablet catchall"
[    27.126] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'N-trig DuoSense Pen'
[    27.126] (**) N-trig DuoSense Pen: always reports core events
[    27.126] (**) evdev: N-trig DuoSense Pen: Device: "/dev/input/event10"
[    27.126] (--) evdev: N-trig DuoSense Pen: Vendor 0x1b96 Product 0xf06
[    27.126] (--) evdev: N-trig DuoSense Pen: Found 1 mouse buttons
[    27.126] (--) evdev: N-trig DuoSense Pen: Found absolute axes
[    27.126] (--) evdev: N-trig DuoSense Pen: Found x and y absolute axes
[    27.126] (--) evdev: N-trig DuoSense Pen: Found absolute tablet.
[    27.126] (II) evdev: N-trig DuoSense Pen: Configuring as tablet
[    27.126] (**) evdev: N-trig DuoSense Pen: YAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
[    27.126] (**) evdev: N-trig DuoSense Pen: EmulateWheelButton: 4, EmulateWheelInertia: 10, EmulateWheelTimeout: 200
[    27.126] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb2/2-5/2-5:1.0/0003:1B96:0F06.0001/input/input11/event10"
[    27.126] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "N-trig DuoSense Pen" (type: TABLET, id 9)
[    27.126] (II) evdev: N-trig DuoSense Pen: initialized for absolute axes.
[    27.126] (**) N-trig DuoSense Pen: (accel) keeping acceleration scheme 1
[    27.126] (**) N-trig DuoSense Pen: (accel) acceleration profile 0
[    27.126] (**) N-trig DuoSense Pen: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
[    27.126] (**) N-trig DuoSense Pen: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4
[    27.126] (II) config/udev: Adding input device N-trig DuoSense Pen (/dev/input/mouse2)
[    27.126] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[    27.126] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
[    27.126] (II) config/udev: Adding input device N-trig DuoSense (/dev/input/event11)
[    27.126] (**) N-trig DuoSense: Applying InputClass "evdev touchscreen catchall"
[    27.126] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'N-trig DuoSense'
[    27.126] (**) N-trig DuoSense: always reports core events
[    27.126] (**) evdev: N-trig DuoSense: Device: "/dev/input/event11"
[    27.126] (--) evdev: N-trig DuoSense: Vendor 0x1b96 Product 0xf06
[    27.126] (--) evdev: N-trig DuoSense: Found absolute axes
[    27.126] (--) evdev: N-trig DuoSense: Found absolute multitouch axes
[    27.126] (II) evdev: N-trig DuoSense: No buttons found, faking one.
[    27.126] (--) evdev: N-trig DuoSense: Found x and y absolute axes
[    27.126] (--) evdev: N-trig DuoSense: Found absolute touchscreen
[    27.126] (II) evdev: N-trig DuoSense: Configuring as touchscreen
[    27.126] (**) evdev: N-trig DuoSense: YAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
[    27.126] (**) evdev: N-trig DuoSense: EmulateWheelButton: 4, EmulateWheelInertia: 10, EmulateWheelTimeout: 200
[    27.126] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb2/2-5/2-5:1.0/0003:1B96:0F06.0001/input/input12/event11"
[    27.126] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "N-trig DuoSense" (type: TOUCHSCREEN, id 10)
[    27.126] (II) evdev: N-trig DuoSense: initialized for absolute axes.
[    27.126] (**) N-trig DuoSense: (accel) keeping acceleration scheme 1
[    27.126] (**) N-trig DuoSense: (accel) acceleration profile 0
[    27.127] (**) N-trig DuoSense: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
[    27.127] (**) N-trig DuoSense: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4
[    27.127] (II) config/udev: Adding input device N-trig DuoSense (/dev/input/mouse3)
[    27.127] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[    27.127] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
[    27.127] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Front Camera (/dev/input/event9)
[    27.127] (**) Front Camera: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[    27.127] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'Front Camera'
[    27.127] (**) Front Camera: always reports core events
[    27.127] (**) evdev: Front Camera: Device: "/dev/input/event9"
[    27.127] (--) evdev: Front Camera: Vendor 0xbda Product 0x5750
[    27.127] (--) evdev: Front Camera: Found keys
[    27.127] (II) evdev: Front Camera: Configuring as keyboard
[    27.127] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb2/2-8/2-8:1.0/input/input10/event9"
[    27.127] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Front Camera" (type: KEYBOARD, id 11)
[    27.127] (**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
[    27.127] (**) Option "xkb_model" "pc105"
[    27.127] (**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"
[    27.127] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA Intel PCH Mic (/dev/input/event7)
[    27.127] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[    27.127] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
[    27.127] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA Intel PCH Headphone (/dev/input/event8)
[    27.127] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
[    27.127] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
[    27.127] (II) config/udev: Adding input device AT Translated Set 2 keyboard (/dev/input/event3)
[    27.127] (**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
[    27.127] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'AT Translated Set 2 keyboard'
[    27.127] (**) AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: always reports core events
[    27.127] (**) evdev: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Device: "/dev/input/event3"
[    27.127] (--) evdev: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Vendor 0x1 Product 0x1
[    27.127] (--) evdev: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Found keys
[    27.127] (II) evdev: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard: Configuring as keyboard
[    27.127] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/platform/i8042/serio0/input/input3/event3"
[    27.127] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "AT Translated Set 2 keyboard" (type: KEYBOARD, id 12)
[    27.127] (**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
[    27.127] (**) Option "xkb_model" "pc105"
[    27.127] (**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"
[    27.128] (II) config/udev: Adding input device SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad (/dev/input/event4)
[    27.128] (**) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: Applying InputClass "evdev touchpad catchall"
[    27.128] (**) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: Applying InputClass "Multitouch Touchpad"
[    27.128] (**) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: Applying InputClass "touchpad catchall"
[    27.128] (**) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: Applying InputClass "Default clickpad buttons"
[    27.128] (II) LoadModule: "synaptics"
[    27.128] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/synaptics_drv.so
[    27.128] (II) Module synaptics: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    27.128] 	compiled for 1.16.0, module version = 1.8.99
[    27.128] 	Module class: X.Org XInput Driver
[    27.128] 	ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 21.0
[    27.128] (II) Using input driver 'synaptics' for 'SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad'
[    27.128] (**) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: always reports core events
[    27.128] (**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/event4"
[    27.140] (II) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: found clickpad property
[    27.140] (--) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: x-axis range 1472 - 5662 (res 42)
[    27.140] (--) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: y-axis range 1408 - 4698 (res 55)
[    27.140] (--) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: pressure range 0 - 255
[    27.140] (--) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: finger width range 0 - 15
[    27.140] (--) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: buttons: left double triple
[    27.140] (--) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: Vendor 0x2 Product 0x7
[    27.140] (**) Option "SoftButtonAreas" "50% 0 82% 0 0 0 0 0"
[    27.140] (--) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: touchpad found
[    27.140] (**) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: always reports core events
[    27.224] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/platform/i8042/serio1/input/input5/event4"
[    27.224] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad" (type: TOUCHPAD, id 13)
[    27.224] (**) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: (accel) MinSpeed is now constant deceleration 2.5
[    27.224] (**) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: (accel) MaxSpeed is now 1.75
[    27.224] (**) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: (accel) AccelFactor is now 0.038
[    27.224] (**) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: (accel) keeping acceleration scheme 1
[    27.224] (**) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: (accel) acceleration profile 1
[    27.224] (**) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
[    27.224] (**) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4
[    27.224] (--) synaptics: SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: touchpad found
[    27.224] (II) config/udev: Adding input device SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad (/dev/input/mouse0)
[    27.224] (**) SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad: Ignoring device from InputClass "touchpad ignore duplicates"
[    27.226] (EE) FBDEV(0): FBIOBLANK: Invalid argument
[    35.563] (II) XKB: reuse xkmfile /var/lib/xkb/server-7C75F152E85183199599C3E0B919739C0EE668AA.xkm
[    37.917] (EE) FBDEV(0): FBIOBLANK: Invalid argument
[    37.947] (EE) FBDEV(0): FBIOBLANK: Invalid argument

[SteveRiley]

Yep, that's what I thought. The presence of nomodeset tells the kernel not to load any drivers that perform kernel mode setting (MKS). However, the Intel driver requires KMS. It will not load in the presence of nomodeset. You can verify this yourself -- I'll bet the output of lsmod | grep i915 returns nothing. i915 is the kernel driver for Intel graphics. If that is not loaded into memory, then the corresponding driver for the X Window system won't load. In in your case, it is not loading. Instead, X is falling back to the low-level VESA framebuffer driver, which is evident by the several lines that begin with FBDEV.

Graphics quality likely won't be very acceptable with this driver. It has no support for acceleration, so watching movies will be unpleasant. You won't be able to take advantage of some of KWin's effects. And window manipulation and transitions might appear sluggish.

As to solving your main problem, switchable graphics simply may not be working on your particular hardware, and you'll only be able to use the built-in Intel graphics and not the NVIDIA. Uninstall the NVIDA proprietary driver. Blacklist the Nouveau graphics by creating the file /etc/modprobe.d/nouveau.conf and including these lines:

blacklist nouveau
alias nouveau off

Then update your initramfs:

sudo update-initramfs -u

[MoonBlossom]

After adding those commands should I remove nomodeset from Grub?

[SteveRiley]

Yes. The Intel driver requires mode setting to work.

Oh -- and just so that I'm clear. The first code block contains two lines to put the in file whose name I mentioned in the paragraph above it. The second code block is a command to run.

[MoonBlossom]

I haven't made any changes yet because when I ran lsmod | grep i915 I got this:

i915                  917658  3 
i2c_algo_bit           13406  2 i915,nouveau
drm_kms_helper         61627  2 i915,nouveau
drm                   310919  4 ttm,i915,drm_kms_helper,nouveau
video                  20128  2 i915,nouveau

Do you think I should still blacklist the Noveau driver?

[SteveRiley]

That's with nomodeset present? Interesting. I had always presumed that the module wouldn't load at all, and only some kind of generic framebuffer managed the display; apparently that's incorrect. The module is still loading. But since KMS is required by the X driver, and you specified nomodeset, the X driver isn't loading.

Try the Nouveau blacklist steps. Let's see what happens.

[MoonBlossom]

When I blacklisted Nuveau, uninstall Nvidia drivers, and removed nomodeset from grub my laptop when back to become unusable

[SteveRiley]

When I blacklisted Nuveau, uninstall Nvidia drivers, and removed nomodeset from grub my laptop when back to become unusable

Need more detail about what you mean by "unstable" at this point.

[MoonBlossom]

The system shows the grub menu and then the screen goes black. Ubuntu seems to run normal but I can't see anything because the screen is black.

[SteveRiley]

Over the years on the forum here, we've had occasional reports of laptops that just don't seem to cooperate well with certain (or any) Linux distributions. I'm not sure what to suggest at this point. None of the drivers -- NVIDIA, Nouveau, Intel -- seem to work for you. You can go back to nomodeset, and use the basic VESA drivers. Alternately, you might try one of the much newer kernel versions from Ubuntu's mainline repository. Try version 3.18 for Vivid. Yes, you can run that Utopic -- I am right now.

[MoonBlossom]

The weird thing is that everything was working on trusty's kernel. I'm going to try installing vivid's kernel.