Computer does not complete boot up

[mhumm2]

The title applies and it takes many iterations of rebooting the computer using the hard reset button before the system comes up all the way. Syslog has not helped me understand the problem. It almost looks like a SW race condition. I request ideas and suggestions to track this problem down.

Sometimes the screen is blank except for the cursor arrow that's frozen; no mouse or keyboard inputs change anything.

Sometimes the screen comes up all the way (conky and wallpaper), but no menu bar along the bottom and the mouse cursor as above.

Please advise.

[Qqmike]

Sure sounds like a graphics issue. When that happened to me some years ago, apparently the firmware (or something) at the graphics level (the monitor? BIOS? other?) was damaged. I got lucky, it booted up (after repeated trials -- like you say happens to you), and I ran a BIOS update (ASUS -- off a USB stick) that fixed it. I'm not much help, but thought I'd drop this account of "same symptoms -- BIOS damaged."

[mhumm2]

Qqmike, thank you for the suggestion. It certainly wouldn't hurt to update the BIOS ROM chip. I also need to get a sequential list of all the initiation files the system runs through and check each of those files for something obvious. I'll disable Conky while I'm there as well and update the nVidia GFX. Thanks again.

[claydoh]

Try selecting a previous kernel in grub when booting.
There have been some reports of a recent kernel update causing issues in *buntu, but I think this was mainly Jammy users. However, Focal is currently using the same kernel version so it is worth checking out.

[mhumm2]

Hello claydoh and thank you. How do I get into grub and select a previous kernel? I know I have at least the 5.4.0-121 available. I tried to flash the bios using the M-Flash utility in the bios for my MSI mobo, but it does not work. I have to figure that out too. My current bios is from 2020 and the new version was just released in July.

[claydoh]

In the grub menu where you can select other OS to boot, among other options. The "Advanced" section.




You should have kernel 5.15 versions, as well as 5.4, and possibly 5.13.

if you are not seeing this menu, try stabbing the Esc key just past your computer's POST screen

You can check what kernels you have installed usiong Muon, and looking for linux-image and filtering for installed packages

or:

 apt search linux-image | grep installed

WARNING: apt does not have a stable CLI interface. Use with caution in scripts.

linux-image-5.15.0-41-generic/focal-updates,focal-security,now 5.15.0-41.44~20.04.1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
linux-image-5.15.0-43-generic/focal-updates,focal-security,now 5.15.0-43.46~20.04.1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
linux-image-5.4.0-122-generic/focal-updates,focal-security,now 5.4.0-122.138 amd64 [installed,automatic]
linux-image-generic/focal-updates,focal-security,now 5.4.0.122.123 amd64 [installed,automatic]
linux-image-generic-hwe-20.04/focal-updates,focal-security,now 5.15.0.43.46~20.04.14 amd64 [installed,automatic]