Can't boot into 14.04 after kernel upgrade

[Qqmike]

I took the kernel upgrade this morning, which was "-43" whereas I had been using "-40."
Now, I can't boot into into either the new version -43 or the previous version -40.

Here's what happens:
Reboot the PC.
I get the GRUB menu and choose 14.04 (with either the new -43 or the previous -40 (under Advanced Options)).
I get the blue log-in screen asking for my PW.
I give the PW, press Enter and nothing happens: it freezes at the log in screen (the log-in box does disappear and leaves just the blue background screen, no serious activity indicated on the HDD light on the PC, just occasional blinking).

I tried Recovery mode, "repair broken packages" option, and that didn't help.

Any ideas? Am I stuck having to reinstall 14.04?

(I'm in 12.04 right now, went there and took 150 updates as I hadn't booted into it for some time; but I prefer to be in 14.04.)

[Qqmike]

So, in particular, except for possibly Silent Observer, apparently no one else had any problems with this update.

[claydoh]

Or everyone is on 14.10?

Could be all sorts of things.

Try going to a terminal via ctrl-alt-f1 and quit the login manager:

sudo service lighdm stop
(Sub "kdm" for "lightdm" if you use that)

Then simply enter:
startx

You may get to your desktop, but if it doesn't, it should give error messages which should point the way.

Sent from my Verizon HTC Droid DNA smartphone running an early cyanogenmod 12 rom, with Android 5 Lollipop, via Tapatalk, as if phone stats really matter

[vinnywright]

Then simply enter:
starts

I thought that was startx ?

VINNY

[Saunter]

I have the same problem: The -43 kernel won't boot. It hangs at the "kubuntu" splash screen. I can boot it in recovery mode, but it loads the wrong video driver, with poor resolution. I can also boot the previous -40 kernel without problems. The suggestion of claydoh doesn't work for me. I can't get to the terminal with ctrl-alt-F1.

[Qqmike]

That got me to the Desktop OK, not sure what to do while in there, I ran apt-get update,apt-get -f install, dpkg --configure -a, hoping to try to fix broken packages or whatever, I re-booted, but the same problem persists, so I got into the Desktop using your commands again, and here I am, pretty sure it is still broken.

[Qqmike]

I tried again and could not get into the previous kernel -40, I got back into -43 using Claydoh's commands again. Think I better just re-install.

[Qqmike]

Holy cow. I re-installed to the same / partition (after re-formatting it), took quite awhile (35-40 minutes without updates, and using kernel 3.13.0-32, which should not be problematic), but I kept the same /home partition (did not re-format it, of course), and the problem persists: can not boot into 14.04! It must be some settings messed up in /home. I am in 12.04 at the moment. So ... now what? Re-install again, this time wiping the /home partition and starting fresh with /home?! Looks like it.


To clarify: I am unable to boot into 14.04 (with the same symptom as OP) using an old kernel vmlinuz-3.2.0-74-generic-pae (it came with the new installation). As I said, I did not yet take updates to the newly install 14.04.

[Qqmike]

See clarification in #8 above.

[Qqmike]

Something about X, maybe, damaged in my /home settings. Possibly fixable, who knows? I can boot into it using Claydoh's commands. I think I'll let this sit for 10-12 hours, then maybe re-install with a new /home partition.

[otisklt]

You should try uninstalling video drivers.
I had a similar issue last night... I am using proprietary video drivers and do have dkms installed... but I still had to unload/reload my video drivers to get the GUI bootable again.

My issue may have been slightly different, it took place before updating the kernel, but that was a recurring issue before dkms was installed.

[Qqmike]

I re-installed from scratch, / and /home. It works now, with the new -43 kernel. Configured everything successfully except ... darned Skype ... have started a thread on that under Software. Thanks for all input.

[Qqmike]

Boy, now I'm lost and not too happy.

I have the problem again after taking updates this morning! Same as I posted in OP except this time the kernel -44 will not boot!

Can't boot into 14.04 after kernel upgrade I took the kernel upgrade this morning, which was "-44" whereas I had been using "-43."
Now, I can't boot into into either the new version -44 or the previous version -43.

Here's what happens:
Reboot the PC.
I get the GRUB menu and choose 14.04 (with either the new -44 or the previous -43 (under Advanced Options)).
I get the blue log-in screen asking for my PW.
I give the PW, press Enter and nothing happens: it freezes at the log in screen (the log-in box does disappear and leaves just the blue background screen, no serious activity indicated on the HDD light on the PC, just occasional blinking).

I tried Recovery mode, "repair broken packages" option, check file system, and that didn't help.

Any ideas? Am I stuck having to reinstall 14.04?

(I'm in 12.04 right now)

As above, it seems something in my home partition is damaged. So if I reinstall, I'll have to wipe the /home first. How can this be?! No one else having this problem?

[oshunluvr]

No log files or errors? Not helpful but both 43 and 44 work fine here on 14.04 - sorry.

What about booting to the text console - maybe the problem is X related?

This gives reason to have a second user always available in ones install - even if just to test things like this.

[Qqmike]

What about booting to the text console

Not sure I'd know what/how to navigate fully to get anything done.

Claydoh indicated how I could get into 14.04, I could do that, but how to diagnose this? I agree with

maybe the problem is X related?

--> osunluvr, btw, do you use Bleachbit, run both as root and as user?

This gives reason to have a second user always available in ones install - even if just to test things like this.

That's a good point.

Why would I be having this issue and you not, same OS, same updates?

Above, when I had the problem before, note that I tried to reinstall using the same /home partition and it didn't solve the problem.
When I cleared out my old /home and reinstalled 14.04 and took updates, it then DID solve the problem.

Some settings in my /home regarding X? But why?