Ubuntu 16.04 freezes after login except with nomodeset

Question

I just downloaded and installed Ubuntu 16.04.3 for my Sony Vaio Z Series laptop.

After the installation finished, a message asked me to restart. When I clicked on it, it just froze, so I shut down the laptop directly using the shutdown key.

Once I rebooted the laptop, I can log in a as guest without any problem (although it freezes when changing language or logout).

But I can't open my user account; I enter the password, click log in, then it freezes, although I still can move the cursor.

I executed apt-get install unity and dpkg-reconfigure, I've also tried apt-get remove --purge nvidia*.

I have the same problem with Ubuntu 17.04. I installed 16.04 and 17.04 twice, but still can't fix this issue.

I've also tried apt-get dist-upgrade, but it didn't help.

After setting the kernel boot parameters to quiet splash nomodeset, I can log in, but the problem is that with nomodeset the resolution is annoying.

How can I fix this problem?

Solution 1

I fixed the problem. Here's what I did exactly:

Since this happened after installing Ubuntu 16.04, and because nvidia drivers got messed up (as I was trying to solve the problem), I decided to reinstall Ubuntu again and try another solution.

1. I installed Ubuntu
2. With my new clean installation, I opened the GRUB menu by pressing the right shift key on reboot.
3. In the GRUB menu, I browsed with arrow keys to Ubuntu, press e to edit the boot parameters.
4. I browsed to the line starting with linux, and added nomodeset after quiet splash. Then pressed F10 to boot.
5. Now I could log in using my user account, I entered the password and got access to my desktop.
6. I searched for System Settings in the launcher, then Software & Updates, I set download from to Main Server. Then opened Additional Drivers tab, and checked one of the Nvidia (Proprietary, tested) drivers.
7. It took a very long time for Applying changes to finish (about an hour), and once it finished, I rebooted as normal (without nomodeset), and this time I could access to my user account.

Hope this helps others.

Solution 2

I had the same problem. The following commands worked for me:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install --reinstall ubuntu-desktop
sudo apt-get install unity

Hopefully it will work on your computer too.

Comments

[Boris Hamanov]

Did you install a video driver? If you boot to a Ubuntu Live DVD/USB, does it also freeze in the same way? Also, check the Sony web site to see if there's a BIOS update available.

[SmootQ]

Thanks for your reply, I tried to install nvidia drivers, but it's just messed up now. I now can log in with the nomodeset disabled, but now it freezes on shutdown, so again I use the shutdown key to restart... and when I do, it switches back to nomodeset.

[Boris Hamanov]

Please clarify. Is "quiet splash nomodeset" still set? Where did you get the Nvidia drivers from... their web site, or the Ubuntu repos? The shutdown freeze may be a different problem. Did you check the BIOS? Does the Live DVD work properly?

[SmootQ]

I did sudo apt-get install nvidia-370 in the ppa:graphics-drivers repository. How to check the BIOS? , for the installation I created a Live USB after I downloded ubuntu from the website.

[SmootQ]

quiet slash nomodeset is still set, even if I remove nomodeset from grub, I find it there whenever the computer reboots.

[Boris Hamanov]

Did you edit /etc/default/grub and then sudo update-grub? To check the BIOS, enter the BIOS at power on time, note the current version #, go to the Sony web site... support/downloads... enter your model #, look for BIOS updates, compare to your version.

[SmootQ]

Ah, yes .. I forgot to update-grub, thank you so much .. I'll check the BIOS once I finish reinstalling nvidia drivers. +1

[SmootQ]

Thank you so much, I solved the problem, I added the answer. Best !

[SmootQ]

Thank you so much, +1 , check my answer to see how I fixed my problem, because reinstalling ubuntu-desktop and installing unity didn't work for me.