Boot freeze due to Nvidia Geforce GTX 950M

[Stephane]

When running Ubuntu 17.10 on my laptop which has a "Nvidia Geforce GTX 950M" and a "Intel HD Graphics 530" graphic card, the boot process freezes.

The cause is that the current Linux kernel does not include FOSS drivers for "Nvidia Geforce GTX 950M".
The solution to avoid that freeze is to add the "nomodeset" grub boot parameter or to install the proprietary Nvidia driver.

My concern is that you have to be aware of that circumvent when installing Ubuntu OS for the first time.
I think that it would be more logical that the Linux kernel uses the low performance graphic card "Intel HD Graphics 530" by default, without trying to use "Nvidia Geforce GTX 950M" which is not natively supported.
That would avoid the bad experience of boot freeze at first meeting.

Computer :
Model = Asus N752VX-GC164T
Ubuntu 17.10
---
ApportVersion: 2.20.7-0ubuntu3.8
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: user 1861 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: user 1861 F.... pulseaudio
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-01-13 (92 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 17.10 "Artful Aardvark" - Release amd64 (20171017.1)
Lsusb:
 Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0461:4d22 Primax Electronics, Ltd
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
MachineType: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. N752VX
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-4.13.0-38-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=5b9acdb6-aa5b-4801-8cd6-40621a2028d4 ro nouveau.modeset=0
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.13.0-38.43-generic 4.13.16
PulseList:
 Error: command ['pacmd', 'list'] failed with exit code 1: Home directory not accessible: Permission denied
 No PulseAudio daemon running, or not running as session daemon.
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.13.0-38-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.13.0-38-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.169.3
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: yes
  Hard blocked: no
Tags: artful
Uname: Linux 4.13.0-38-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups:

_MarkForUpload: True
dmi.bios.date: 08/18/2016
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: N752VX.301
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: N752VX
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrN752VX.301:bd08/18/2016:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnN752VX:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnN752VX:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.family: N
dmi.product.name: N752VX
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. While running an Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline or third-party kernel) please enter the following command in a terminal window:

apport-collect 1764286

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Stephane (stephane21)]

apport information

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.16 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.17-rc1/

[Stephane (stephane21)]

First, I uninstalled Virtualbox.

Proprietary Nvidia drivers were never installed on my computer, there is the "nouveau.modeset=0" parameter into Grub.

Then, I have installed :
linux-image-4.17.0-041700rc1-generic_4.17.0-041700rc1.201804152230_amd64.deb
and
linux-headers-4.17.0-041700rc1-generic_4.17.0-041700rc1.201804152230_amd64.deb

There was errors related to Nvidia during that installation (see log file attached).

Then a 1st reboot worked.

Then a 2nd reboot with the temporary manual removal of "nouveau.modeset=0" parameter into Grub (key "E" + "F10") provoked a unsuccessful boot with a command line prompt :
Ubuntu 17.10 PC tty1
PC login: _

So I assume that the answer is :
tag 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'

[Stephane (stephane21)]

Tested again with a fresh install of Ubuntu 18.04.
Linux kernel version 4.15.0-20

The boot freeze is still here, it happens just after giving my password, exactly when clicking on "login" (Gnome Desktop environment).

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]