Ubuntu 19.04 system update causes boot failure

[peterzay]

***
*** Please reassign bug to proper package
***

On Jun 3 2019, the system update corrupts the system. It will not boot. It hangs on the 3rd red dot of the Ubuntu splash screen. The remaining 2 dots are white. You never get the terminal screen with green [ ok] status lines.

A complete new install works fine. When you do a system update, you get the corruption and boot failure.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 19.04
Package: gedit 3.32.0-3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.0.0-13.14-generic 5.0.6
Uname: Linux 5.0.0-13-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.10-0ubuntu27
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Mon Jun 3 21:12:08 2019
InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-04-14 (50 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 19.04 "Disco Dingo" - Alpha amd64 (20190413.2)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: gedit
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[peterzay (peterzay)]

The system update is performed as follows:
1- software updater
2- reboot
3- repeat steps 1-2 until there are no more updates
4- synaptic package upgrader
5- reboot

The boot failure occurs on step 5. This is reproducible.

Here is a screenshot of the synaptic upgrader candidates. One or more of these is causing the boot failure.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Thank you for your bug report. Do you mean that after applying those updates you don't get to the login screen anymore?
Can you reproduce after a new install and upgrading again?

Can you boot to a command line using the recovery option and get a "journalctl -b 1" log (assuming the previous boot was one that hit the problem) and add it to the bug?

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Try this as a workaround: edit /etc/gdm3/custom.conf and uncomment the line:

   #WaylandEnable=false

Then reboot. If that works then this would be a duplicate of bug 1798790.

Even if it's not, the relevant bug filter to look at is:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gdm3/+bugs?field.tag=nvidia

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

It also sounds like something might be crashing. So if you continue to have problems then please follow these instructions:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Responses#Missing_a_crash_report_or_having_a_.crash_attachment

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

If not bug 1798790, then my second guess would be that this is related to bug 1705369

[peterzay (peterzay)]

>Do you mean that after applying those updates you don't get to the login screen anymore?
correct

>Can you reproduce after a new install and upgrading again?
The boot failure occurs on step 5. This is reproducible.

>Can you boot to a command line using the recovery option
I tried to boot holding the left shift key but I did not get grub2. I did get 4 red dots instead of 3 on the Ubuntu splash screen. Do you have another procedure to suggest?

>Try this as a workaround: edit /etc/gdm3/custom.conf ...
The system is unusable.

When doing a fresh install from a USB key to reproduce this bug, you should be offered to erase or install alongside the existing OS. In this case, you are ONLY offered to erase. Curious.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

> I tried to boot holding the left shift key but I did not get grub2. I did get 4 red dots instead of 3 on the Ubuntu splash screen. Do you have another procedure to suggest?

If you have a failed boot then the next start should automatically open the grub menu, so if you power down the machine on the stuck logo and turn the machine again it should open it?

[peterzay (peterzay)]

>If you have a failed boot then the next start should automatically open the grub menu

The next boot hangs on the Ubuntu splash screen. This is reproducible.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

right, but the grub menu should be displayed before the splash. Try to force reboot/power down earlier during the boot maybe if holding shift doesn't work?

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

see also https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RecoveryMode

[peterzay (peterzay)]

>Try to force reboot/power down earlier during the boot

Not possible.

This is the boot process:
1. push power button
2. type in decryption password
3. hit enter
4. you immediately receive the Ubuntu splash screen
5. more and more (but not all) red dots appear
6. system hangs at 3 or 4 red dots

It is not possible to act between steps 3 and 4.

>see also https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RecoveryMode

I have a fully duplicate backup test machine that manually mirrors my main machine.

After the very first boot failure, I ported ALL the backup data to the test machine from which all these notes are coming.

To reproduce all of the prior stated issues, I had to reinstall a new 19.04 from USB key.

There is nothing to recover, for me at least.

You are welcome to propose various tests on the failed machine.

[peterzay (peterzay)]

Note that the updates and upgrades on the test machine are not current. Obviously.

[peterzay (peterzay)]

Prior to submitting this bug, this discussion started:

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/681215

There may be some details that might help.

[Eli Linares (real-act)]

Same issue here after this update, system won't boot after getting the following two packages:

gnome-shell-common/disco-updates,disco-updates 3.32.1-1ubuntu1~19.04.1 all [upgradable from: 3.32.0+git20190410-1ubuntu1]
gnome-shell/disco-updates 3.32.1-1ubuntu1~19.04.1 amd64 [upgradable from: 3.32.0+git20190410-1ubuntu1]

Regards.

[peterzay (peterzay)]

>Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt) : Try this as a workaround: edit /etc/gdm3/custom.conf and uncomment the line: #WaylandEnable=false Then reboot.

Yes, this works. Is this edit of custom.conf considered stable enough for serious work, or testing only?

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

That edit is completely stable for serious work.

That also makes this a duplicate of bug 1798790.

[peterzay (peterzay)]

from Bug #1798790:

>The specific steps or actions you took that caused you to encounter the problem: 1. Boot Ubuntu 18.10 with the Nvidia proprietary drivers installed.

I have never installed proprietary Nvidia drivers.

Ubuntu 19.04 was installed with default options.

That said, there is an app called "NVIDIA X Server Settings" on my system which claims that my NVIDIA Driver Version: 418.56 (see screenshot)

This was installed automatically by Ubuntu so I expect that 418.56 is not proprietary.

Please clarify.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

It sounds like Ubuntu automatically installed the proprietary Nvidia driver for you. This is confirmed by your screenshot, but was obvious from the beginning since your bug report (at the top of this page) says:

  NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia

I personally recommend you keep that driver because the open source alternative is less reliable and more buggy.

[peterzay (peterzay)]

What about the 3 packages for

gnome-control-center
gnome-control-center-data
gnome-control-center-faces

Do they also need to be locked (see screenshot)?

[peterzay (peterzay)]

The following 3 packages get installed automatically by the updater process:

gnome-control-center
gnome-control-center-data
gnome-control-center-faces

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Eli,

Please open new bugs for the problems you are experiencing. Your comments are confusing people.

[Eli Linares (real-act)]

I apologize if I caused any confusion, to me I'm experiencing the same problem as the other people commenting here after getting this update. System won't boot, so I'm not sure how it's different, I Have hidden my comments now though.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.