After install, cannot boot into system unless I use nomodeset kernel parameter (repeated kernel crashes in the nouveau driver)

[Pierre Equoy]

System: Disco (19.04 beta)
Hardware: Dell Precision 7530

After installing the system, it cannot start unless manually adding `nomodeset` in the kernel command line at boot time.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Install disco 19.04 beta on the device. Leave all the options at default values (i.e. do not install third party drivers)
2. Once installation is finished, restart the system (the system will freeze after install is finished, it's a known issue -> lp:1822044)

Expected result:

2. The system boots and user can log in and see Gnome interface.

Actual result:

2. The first time, I could log into the system. However, when I tried to access the Settings screen, the system froze. After that, everytime I tried to boot the device, the screen was filled with dark purple, a mouse cursor may appear, but nothing else would happen. At that stage, the only thing I could do was to force shutdown the device, start it again and at Grub screen, press `e` to edit the kernel parameters and add `nomodeset`.

This bug is created from the actual device, using `nomodeset` kernel parameter. `nouveau` graphics driver is most likely the culprit, like in all the previous issues that have been raised (see lp:1822026, lp:1822044, lp:1821882)

Two workarounds exist:

1. After installation, use `nomodeset` kernel parameter to boot into the system, then install proprietary nvidia drivers.
2. During installation, install third party drivers. If Secure Boot is enabled, this requires to set a password that will be asked when the device reboots.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 19.04
Package: xorg 1:7.7+19ubuntu12
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.0.0-7.8-generic 5.0.0
Uname: Linux 5.0.0-7-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.10-0ubuntu23
Architecture: amd64
BootLog: Error: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/log/boot.log'
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Thu Mar 28 15:39:40 2019
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: disco
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation UHD Graphics 630 (Mobile) [8086:3e9b] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Dell UHD Graphics 630 (Mobile) [1028:0889]
 NVIDIA Corporation GP107GLM [Quadro P1000 Mobile] [10de:1cbb] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Dell GP107GLM [Quadro P1000 Mobile] [1028:0889]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-03-28 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 19.04 "Disco Dingo" - Alpha amd64 (20190326.2)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Precision 7530
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.0.0-7-generic root=UUID=e07663b1-0b3d-4cdb-aa6c-f6f2e8c4ee5d ro quiet splash nomodeset vt.handoff=1
SourcePackage: xorg
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 02/19/2019
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 1.7.0
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvr1.7.0:bd02/19/2019:svnDellInc.:pnPrecision7530:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.family: Precision
dmi.product.name: Precision 7530
dmi.product.sku: 0889
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.compiz: compiz N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.97-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 19.0.0-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.20.4-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:19.0.0-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20180925-2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.16-1

[Pierre Equoy (pieq)]

To see a sample of dmesg when nouveau is activated, please refer to lp:1822026

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Please:

1. Confirm that "cannot boot into system" means you are seeing a purple screen, not black.

2. Reproduce the problem (without nomodeset), reboot again using "nomodeset" and run:

   journalctl -b-1 > prevboot.txt

3. Send us the file 'prevboot.txt'.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Please also:

4. Reproduce the problem again, hit Ctrl+Alt+F4 to log into a text console and then run:

   grep . /sys/class/drm/*/{dpms,enabled,status} > drminfo.txt

5. Send us the file 'drminfo.txt'.

[Ubuntu QA Website (ubuntuqa)]

This bug has been reported on the Ubuntu ISO testing tracker.

A list of all reports related to this bug can be found here:
http://iso.qa.ubuntu.com/qatracker/reports/bugs/1822047

[Pierre Equoy (pieq)]

1/2/3. I made a fresh install.

On the first boot, device was blocked at the "Ubuntu" logo with the dots blinking white and orange forever. Pressing Esc wouldn't do anything (it's supposed to show the boot process) and pressing NumLock on the numpad wouldn't light the NumLock LED (it's my to-go check to see if the system froze or not).

I force-shutdown it, started again, this time it showed me the login screen, I logged in and it remained on a dark purple screen with a black mouse cursor for about 1-2 minutes before finally displaying the OOBE screen (where you have to press Next and select if you want to send anonymous report etc.).

I then typed `journalctl -b-1 > prevboot.txt`, this is the file attached to this comment. Apologies as the locale is set to Chinese because my timezone is Taipei.

[Pierre Equoy (pieq)]

@Daniel

4/5. I collected the attached drminfo.txt while at login screen.

While in tty4, I noticed that the computer would freeze for more or less long periods of time because of some nouveau-related kernel messages that were printed on the screen. I managed to type the command you mentioned between two freeze periods.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need additional info!