Unmet package dependency "xserver-xorg-core (>= 2:1.17.2-2)"

[Jeffrey Walton]

I'm using Ubuntu 18.04 x86_64 (fully patched) on a Dell XPS 8930 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078N85NCR). I recently performed a dist-upgrade to 5.3.0-53-generic. After the upgrade I lost X in non-recovery mode. In recovery mode I get a GUI at 800x600. 800x600 leaves a lot to be desired with a 32" monitor.

I reinstalled the kernel components with no joy. Secure Boot is Off. Reboots did not help. The kernel components were:

* linux-headers-5.3.0-53-generic
* linux-image-5.3.0-53-generic
* linux-modules-5.3.0-53-generic
* linux-modules-extra-5.3.0-53-generic
* linux-tools-5.3.0-53-generic

I tried the Nvidia drivers 435 and 440 with no joy. Reboots did not help.

I then removed the Nvidia drivers, and I tried the default Xorg server, but it errors with the following. Reboots did not help.

# apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-nouveau nouveau-firmware
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 xserver-xorg-video-nouveau : Depends: xorg-video-abi-23
                              Depends: xserver-xorg-core (>= 2:1.18.99.901)
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

I'm not sure which package is the problem here. I generically filed the report against Xorg, but I suspect there's a better choice of package. (There is no xserver-xorg-core package available to select).

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

The title of the bug and the text in the description don't match. Can you fix that?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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