Black screen log in after upgrade to 16.10 (coming from 14.04) when using nouveau. Same issue if I use the 3rd parties drivers from NVIDIA.

[Desnes A. Nunes do Rosario]

I finally had the time to upgrade my Sony vaio SVF15N17CXB from Ubuntu 14.04 to Ubuntu 16.10. The nouveau and also the nvidia drivers use to work perfectly on ubuntu 14.04, but neither work properly on 16.10.

lspci | grep "3D\|VGA"
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)
04:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK208M [GeForce GT 735M] (rev a1)

When booting, I hear the log in sound but the screen is just black. In order to actually get a screen I can add 'nomodeset' to the kernel line (not always works) or also use the advanced options to ubuntu -> recovery mode -> resume normal boot (always works). If the system hibernates or if I lock the screen, black screen.

I already found similar bugs online and found an infinite amount of suggestions (e.g. http://askubuntu.com/questions/760374/ubuntu-16-04-nvidia-driver-blank-screen) but I didn't find nothing really conclusive. Moreover, I also tried IRC at the #ubuntu and #nvidia channels a couple of months ago, but didn't had any luck with the information I received. Back then, I was advised to try installing the new nvidia drivers by hand, but that didn't work (had to format it afterwards). Nvidia's driver's get installed works ... but then it suddenly crashes, or it gives me the black screen eventually. Basically, after a lot of formating I am reaching the conclusion that some important X code was removed from the version 14.04 to 16.10.

Lastly, I also dual boot with Windows 8.1, which is working fine, thus my hardware is ok.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.10
Package: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.12-2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.8.0-30.32-generic 4.8.6
Uname: Linux 4.8.0-30-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity_support_test.1:

ApportVersion: 2.20.3-0ubuntu8.2
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
CompositorUnredirectDriverBlacklist: '(nouveau|Intel).*Mesa 8.0'
CompositorUnredirectFSW: true
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Thu Dec 29 12:14:58 2016
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: yakkety
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0a16] (rev 09) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Sony Corporation Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics Controller [104d:90c3]
   Subsystem: Sony Corporation GK208M [GeForce GT 735M] [104d:90c3]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-11-01 (57 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.10 "Yakkety Yak" - Release amd64 (20161012.2)
MachineType: Sony Corporation SVF15N17CXB
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.8.0-30-generic root=UUID=aa507252-7abc-4f5c-b1e3-f5b83cee8be6 ro recovery nomodeset
Renderer: Software
SourcePackage: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 09/18/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: Insyde Corp.
dmi.bios.version: R1140DD
dmi.board.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.board.name: VAIO
dmi.board.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.board.version: N/A
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnInsydeCorp.:bvrR1140DD:bd09/18/2014:svnSonyCorporation:pnSVF15N17CXB:pvrC10K1FAU:rvnSonyCorporation:rnVAIO:rvrN/A:cvnSonyCorporation:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: SVF15N17CXB
dmi.product.version: C10K1FAU
dmi.sys.vendor: Sony Corporation
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.13.0+16.10.20160818.2-0ubuntu2
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.70-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 12.0.3-1ubuntu2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 12.0.3-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.18.4-1ubuntu6.1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.10.2-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.7.1-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20160706-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.12-2
xserver.bootTime: Thu Dec 29 11:38:00 2016
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.version: 2:1.18.4-1ubuntu6.1

[dino99 (9d9)]

This is an unsupported release now. Please think to install the next LTS 'Bionic 18.04'

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-next/daily-live/current/
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2018/02/ubuntu-18-04-minimal-install-option