That other bug that Bryan posted about made me do some digging in an install that had been affected by unrelated bug #1489147. I was using the same hardware as in this bug and had to use the boot parameter nomodeset to even get casper/ubiquity to run w/o a black screen - this resulted in a completed install that only offered 1024X768 rather than the preferred 1366X768 resolution so I tried to install the proprietary driver using the UI which seemed to work but now the system is borked. From a lateral install I just looked at the apt/history.log: Start-Date: 2015-10-21 18:20:36 Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.54' Install: fakeroot:amd64 (1.20.2-1ubuntu1, automatic), screen-resolution-extra:amd64 (0.17.1, automatic), libstdc++-5-dev:amd64 (5.2.1-22ubuntu2, automatic), lib32gcc1:amd64 (5.2.1-22ubuntu2, automatic), libjansson4:amd64 (2.7-1ubuntu1, automatic), libcuda1-304:amd64 (304.128-0ubuntu1, automatic), dkms:amd64 (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu6, automatic), nvidia-settings:amd64 (352.21-0ubuntu1, automatic), libalgorithm-diff-xs-perl:amd64 (0.04-3build1, automatic), dpkg-dev:amd64 (1.18.2ubuntu5, automatic), libalgorithm-merge-perl:amd64 (0.08-2, automatic), nvidia-304:amd64 (304.128-0ubuntu1), amd64-microcode:amd64 (2.20141028.1), ocl-icd-libopencl1:amd64 (2.2.7-2, automatic), g++:amd64 (5.2.1-3ubuntu1, automatic), libalgorithm-diff-perl:amd64 (1.19.03-1, automatic), nvidia-opencl-icd-304:amd64 (304.128-0ubuntu1, automatic), libfakeroot:amd64 (1.20.2-1ubuntu1, automatic), g++-5:amd64 (5.2.1-22ubuntu2, automatic), build-essential:amd64 (12.1ubuntu2, automatic), libc6-i386:amd64 (2.21-0ubuntu4, automatic), libxnvctrl0:amd64 (352.21-0ubuntu1, automatic), pkg-config:amd64 (0.28-1ubuntu1, automatic) Remove: linux-generic:amd64 (4.2.0.16.18) End-Date: 2015-10-21 18:22:55 So, why would installing the tested nvidia driver remove linux-generic? Maybe this snippet from the term.loog would be helpful: Log started: 2015-10-21 18:20:36 (Reading database ... (Reading database ... 5% (Reading database ... 10% (Reading database ... 15% (Reading database ... 20% (Reading database ... 25% (Reading database ... 30% (Reading database ... 35% (Reading database ... 40% (Reading database ... 45% (Reading database ... 50% (Reading database ... 55% (Reading database ... 60% (Reading database ... 65% (Reading database ... 70% (Reading database ... 75% (Reading database ... 80% (Reading database ... 85% (Reading database ... 90% (Reading database ... 95% (Reading database ... 100% (Reading database ... 154143 files and directories currently installed.) Removing linux-generic (4.2.0.16.18) ... Selecting previously unselected package libjansson4:amd64. (Reading database ... (Reading database ... 5% (Reading database ... 10% (Reading database ... 15% (Reading database ... 20% (Reading database ... 25% (Reading database ... 30% (Reading database ... 35% (Reading database ... 40% (Reading database ... 45% (Reading database ... 50% (Reading database ... 55% (Reading database ... 60% (Reading database ... 65% (Reading database ... 70% (Reading database ... 75% (Reading database ... 80% (Reading database ... 85% (Reading database ... 90% (Reading database ... 95% (Reading database ... 100% (Reading database ... 154141 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../libjansson4_2.7-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking libjansson4:amd64 (2.7-1ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package libstdc++-5-dev:amd64. Preparing to unpack .../libstdc++-5-dev_5.2.1-22ubuntu2_amd64.deb ... Unpacking libstdc++-5-dev:amd64 (5.2.1-22ubuntu2) ... Selecting previously unselected package g++-5. Preparing to unpack .../g++-5_5.2.1-22ubuntu2_amd64.deb ... Unpacking g++-5 (5.2.1-22ubuntu2) ... Selecting previously unselected package g++. Preparing to unpack .../g++_4%3a5.2.1-3ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking g++ (4:5.2.1-3ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package dpkg-dev. Preparing to unpack .../dpkg-dev_1.18.2ubuntu5_all.deb ... Unpacking dpkg-dev (1.18.2ubuntu5) ... Selecting previously unselected package build-essential. Preparing to unpack .../build-essential_12.1ubuntu2_amd64.deb ... Unpacking build-essential (12.1ubuntu2) ... Selecting previously unselected package dkms. Preparing to unpack .../dkms_2.2.0.3-2ubuntu6_all.deb ... Unpacking dkms (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu6) ... Selecting previously unselected package libfakeroot:amd64. Preparing to unpack .../libfakeroot_1.20.2-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking libfakeroot:amd64 (1.20.2-1ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package fakeroot. Preparing to unpack .../fakeroot_1.20.2-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking fakeroot (1.20.2-1ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package libalgorithm-diff-perl. Preparing to unpack .../libalgorithm-diff-perl_1.19.03-1_all.deb ... Unpacking libalgorithm-diff-perl (1.19.03-1) ... Selecting previously unselected package libalgorithm-diff-xs-perl. Preparing to unpack .../libalgorithm-diff-xs-perl_0.04-3build1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking libalgorithm-diff-xs-perl (0.04-3build1) ... Selecting previously unselected package libalgorithm-merge-perl. Preparing to unpack .../libalgorithm-merge-perl_0.08-2_all.deb ... Unpacking libalgorithm-merge-perl (0.08-2) ... Selecting previously unselected package libc6-i386. Preparing to unpack .../libc6-i386_2.21-0ubuntu4_amd64.deb ... Unpacking libc6-i386 (2.21-0ubuntu4) ... Selecting previously unselected package libcuda1-304. Preparing to unpack .../libcuda1-304_304.128-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking libcuda1-304 (304.128-0ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package libxnvctrl0. Preparing to unpack .../libxnvctrl0_352.21-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking libxnvctrl0 (352.21-0ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package lib32gcc1. Preparing to unpack .../lib32gcc1_1%3a5.2.1-22ubuntu2_amd64.deb ... Unpacking lib32gcc1 (1:5.2.1-22ubuntu2) ... Selecting previously unselected package nvidia-304. Preparing to unpack .../nvidia-304_304.128-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking nvidia-304 (304.128-0ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package ocl-icd-libopencl1:amd64. Preparing to unpack .../ocl-icd-libopencl1_2.2.7-2_amd64.deb ... Unpacking ocl-icd-libopencl1:amd64 (2.2.7-2) ... Selecting previously unselected package nvidia-opencl-icd-304. Preparing to unpack .../nvidia-opencl-icd-304_304.128-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking nvidia-opencl-icd-304 (304.128-0ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package pkg-config. Preparing to unpack .../pkg-config_0.28-1ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking pkg-config (0.28-1ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package screen-resolution-extra. Preparing to unpack .../screen-resolution-extra_0.17.1_all.deb ... Unpacking screen-resolution-extra (0.17.1) ... Selecting previously unselected package nvidia-settings. Preparing to unpack .../nvidia-settings_352.21-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking nvidia-settings (352.21-0ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package amd64-microcode. Preparing to unpack .../amd64-microcode_2.20141028.1_amd64.deb ... Unpacking amd64-microcode (2.20141028.1) ... Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.4-1) ... Processing triggers for dbus (1.10.0-1ubuntu1) ... Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-6ubuntu1) ... Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu3) ... Processing triggers for mime-support (3.58ubuntu1) ... Setting up libjansson4:amd64 (2.7-1ubuntu1) ... Setting up libstdc++-5-dev:amd64 (5.2.1-22ubuntu2) ... Setting up g++-5 (5.2.1-22ubuntu2) ... Setting up g++ (4:5.2.1-3ubuntu1) ... update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/g++ to provide /usr/bin/c++ (c++) in auto mode Setting up dpkg-dev (1.18.2ubuntu5) ... Setting up build-essential (12.1ubuntu2) ... Setting up dkms (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu6) ... Setting up libfakeroot:amd64 (1.20.2-1ubuntu1) ... Setting up fakeroot (1.20.2-1ubuntu1) ... update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/fakeroot-sysv to provide /usr/bin/fakeroot (fakeroot) in auto mode Setting up libalgorithm-diff-perl (1.19.03-1) ... Setting up libalgorithm-diff-xs-perl (0.04-3build1) ... Setting up libalgorithm-merge-perl (0.08-2) ... Setting up libc6-i386 (2.21-0ubuntu4) ... Setting up libcuda1-304 (304.128-0ubuntu1) ... Setting up libxnvctrl0 (352.21-0ubuntu1) ... Setting up lib32gcc1 (1:5.2.1-22ubuntu2) ... Setting up nvidia-304 (304.128-0ubuntu1) ... update-alternatives: using /usr/lib/nvidia-304/ld.so.conf to provide /etc/ld.so.conf.d/x86_64-linux-gnu_GL.conf (x86_64-linux-gnu_gl_conf) in auto mode update-alternatives: using /usr/lib/nvidia-304/alt_ld.so.conf to provide /etc/ld.so.conf.d/i386-linux-gnu_GL.conf (i386-linux-gnu_gl_conf) in auto mode update-alternatives: using /usr/share/nvidia-304/glamor.conf to provide /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/glamoregl.conf (glamor_conf) in auto mode update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated) INFO:Enable nvidia-304 DEBUG:Parsing /usr/share/ubuntu-drivers-common/quirks/lenovo_thinkpad DEBUG:Parsing /usr/share/ubuntu-drivers-common/quirks/put_your_quirks_here DEBUG:Parsing /usr/share/ubuntu-drivers-common/quirks/dell_latitude Loading new nvidia-304-304.128 DKMS files... First Installation: checking all kernels... Building only for 4.2.0-16-generic Building for architecture x86_64 Building initial module for 4.2.0-16-generic Done. nvidia_304: Running module version sanity check. - Original module - No original module exists within this kernel - Installation - Installing to /lib/modules/4.2.0-16-generic/updates/dkms/ depmod....... DKMS: install completed. Setting up ocl-icd-libopencl1:amd64 (2.2.7-2) ... Setting up nvidia-opencl-icd-304 (304.128-0ubuntu1) ... Setting up pkg-config (0.28-1ubuntu1) ... Setting up screen-resolution-extra (0.17.1) ... Setting up nvidia-settings (352.21-0ubuntu1) ... Setting up amd64-microcode (2.20141028.1) ... update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated) amd64-microcode: microcode will be updated at next boot Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.21-0ubuntu4) ... Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.120ubuntu6) ... update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-16-generic Processing triggers for dbus (1.10.0-1ubuntu1) ... Log ended: 2015-10-21 18:22:55 Starting to smell like a kernel bug, eh?