Since duel booting Win 10 and Linux Mint 18.1, I'm unable to restart OR shutdown Linux with out unplugging the PC from the power source. When I click restart or shutdown I get a log-on screen but am unable to enter a password because the keyboard is not working (which is why I have to unplug the PC).

Thanks for any help.

.. not sure I've ever seen this type of behaviour in my several years of dual-booting Windows and linux. I HAVE seen difficulties in hibernating Windows on such configurations, depending on the boot loader used (notoriously, GRUB).

Could you provide more detail concerning your system hardware, BIOS settings and boot loader choice and config ?

I can give you the following:

------System Harware

CPU - AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+
Brisbane 65nm Technology

RAM - 6.00GB Dual-Channel DDRS @ 301MHz

MOTHERBOARD -
Gigabyte Technologh Co., Ltd. FA-MA770-UD3

Graphics -
Acer ALL1906 (120x1024@75Hz)

Storage -
119GM M4-CT128M4SSD2 ATA Device (SSD)
2794.52GB Seagate HDD USB3
18630.2GB Seagate HDD USB3
4657-53GB Seagate HDD USB3

-----BIOS setting - where and what?



Boot loader used - unknown (if I was asked I would have used default) BUT
I have the following choices when just starting the PC.

Linux Mint 18.1 Cinnamon 64 Bit
Advance Options
Memory Test (memtest+86+)
Memory Test (memtest+86+, serial console 115200)
windows 10 (loader) (on /dev/sdal)

Config - ?


Does any of this help?

Can you reboot to the bootloader (grub) and "c" to the command mode and "halt" to power off? Does that work around the plugging issue?

The only time I've had issues like that was when the PSU was on it's last leg. Or the system had grown unstable due to heat issues over time.

Wut?

Are you sure you don't have some (a lot of) typos in there???

Hi crgibson ... Thx for the info. Nothing unusual there except maybe all of the external storage. Can I assume that your systems (linux and Windows) are installed on the internal SSD drive ?

In re-reading your original post, I want to clarify my understanding:

1) When you try to restart or shut down Linux, it does not restart or shutdown at all but instead brings you straight to your display manager's (sddm) login screen ?

2) ... at the login screen, neither your keyboard nor your mouse are functional, so you need to "unplug" the computer to restart ?

3) Is this a desktop computer, so that when you unplug the power source, the computer immediately shuts down, or is it a laptop with a battery and for whatever reason, unplugging the AC adapter enables you to restart ?

4) ... or, instead of the situation described in 1), when you restart without unplugging the computer, does it actually reboot and THEN leave you at the situation decribed in 2) ?

5) ... lastly, does it make any difference if none of the external storage (USB drives) are attached ?

... Apologies for all the questions ... just trying to get a complete handle on your issue.

Rickkkk - thanks for the reply. In answer to your questions: Yes, linux and win 10 are installed on the internal SSD Drive.

1 - correct - Linux goes away and a black screen with the login shows.

2 - correct - both keyboard & mouse do not work, needing to uplug.

3 - This is a desktop PC.

4 - No. Situation 1 is what happens. No reboot before the login screen.

5 - I have tried 3 or 4 times unplugging the USB drives before clicking on the shutdown or restart button, and also unplugging the USB drives before starting in Linux and then trying to shutdown/restart have the same results as in situation 1.




Shadow 7 - I am so new to Linux that I have no idea how reboot to bootloader and 'c' command mode. Sorry, will need step by step to try this.

Thanks for reply.

All of the external storage is weird, especially since Samsung doesn't even make an 18 TB external drive (neither does anybody else). Additionally, there is no such thing as DDRS ram. That motherboard used DDR2, but DDR2 doesn't run anywhere near 300 MHz, and the display resolution is also messed up. SSDs also didn't exist when this motherboard was made, so I'm a little surprised there aren't BIOS compatibility issues trying to boot off of one. Frankly I'm most surprised by the notion that Windows 10 can even run on 11 year old hardware.

suicidaleggroll - Where does Samsung come into the picture? And where do you get 18 TB. The DDRS are the ram sticks and they do run at 300 MHz. Also the motherboard is only less than 5 years old not 11 years old.

But all that aside, the problem still is there with the USB drives NOT connected to the PC.

crgibson - thx for the answers.

... not obvious where to start with this one .. Another question: does the same thing happen when you're in Windows or does that shut down and restart normally ?

Also - to try Shadow_7's suggestion, next time you start up the computer, type c when the boot loader pops up and try the command (halt, I believe it was ..). Let us know how that goes as well ...

The default boot loader when you install linux is grub. It's the menu thing before linux loads up. If you press "c" on the keyboard before it times out to the default menu item, it'll put you in command mode. Typing in the command "halt" and pressing enter should power off the computer. This can sometimes work around bios issues that don't play well with your linux configuration and method of shutting down / powering off.

crgibson,

You may like to backup your personal data first, just in case.

On another functioning PC, either:

1. Download Rescatux and burn .ISO to DVD, read the information and instructions, then reboot:
http://www.supergrubdisk.org/

OR

2. Download Linux Mint 18.1 (MATE or Xfce) and burn .ISO to DVD. Reboot and do a fresh installation.


Rescatux is always handy to have around and you will probably learn from using it.

Having said that, I think it may be quicker using option 2.

Thanks to all for the replies and suggestions.

Rickkkk - Win 10 shuts down and restarts as it should.

Shadow 7 - I did as you suggested. I started the PC, when the boot loader came up I clicked 'c'. Entered 'halt'. The boot loader restarted and Linux started. When I clicked on the restart button, the problem was still there. I then restarted and loaded Linux again and tried the shutdown button. Same thing.

I think that I will just learn to "live with it" like I have with a few other things about Linux.

Thanks to all for time spend with this post.

If you have a different power supply you might try using it. Even temporarily, I suspect it's that piece of hardware that is the issue. Since you have to kill power to it to make things play nice again. That would be the only part affected by that IMO. You might also have your PC wired wrong. If it's not that old you might check the motherboard manual.