Can't boot into Ubuntu after installing GNOME 16.04 (stuck at blank purple screen)

Question

I've also tried booting through recovery mode but that just gets stuck at a black screen instead. Everything was running fine until I tried booting into Ubuntu this morning, even last night it was working fine after installing GNOME. I have a Nvidia 1070 but all the graphics drivers should be up to date. Any ideas on what to do? Windows is still booting up fine.

Solution

I ended up solving this by using nomodeset to get far enough to open command line with CTRL + ALT + F1. After that I entered

sudo apt-get --reinstall install gdm
sudo dpkg-reconfigure lightdm
sudo service lightdm start

from: https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2058251

Comments

[Apologician]

What are the updated Display drivers you have installed? Are you able to get in when adding nomodeset to your grub commandline (hitting e to edit at the black screen). Add this to the line with quiet spash. If you are able to boot with the parameter, use Additional Drivers from the System Settings/Software & Updates app.

[Ben B.]

I'll check when I'm home and edit this but I'm fairly certain it's the 375 drivers.

[Ben B.]

Okay, I tried the nomodeset thing and I still can't boot in. What is there left to try?

[Apologician]

Was it the very same effect, the purple screen only? Try removing the workds quiet and splash and have only nomodeset there.

[Ben B.]

It was the same effect but I tried it again and it actually let me go to command line when I did nomodeset. Then I followed the advice of Dy1anW on this thread about reconfiguring lightdm and it ended up booting fine!

[Apologician]

Thanks for reporting back! I'll add the tested information to an answer for the community.