AMD 6 core processor, 9GB ram, Ubuntu 16.04 ViewSonic monitor.

Last week I went to turn on my computer but nothing came up on monitor (No pictures. I could see that the processor was working so I waited til the lights stopped blinking.Then I entered the password even though it was a blank screen.
I could see the light starting to blink (processor led), waited till stop, turned monitor off then back on, Wallpaper came up, clicked on firefox and up it came OK. Everything is fine except for start up with black screen, monitor works fine

I have to do this every time I start the computer now! It appears to be something to do with the start up applications I think.

Anyone have any idea what is going on?

Can you go to a console (e.g. CTRL+ALT+F1) and view

systemctl -a

and journalctl -a

after logging in?

Thanks for replying, Can you give me the exact commands to use on the terminal. I'm not terminal savvy.

Switch to console by CTRL+ALT+F1

Then login as root or sudo <command>.

systemctl -a

and

journalctl -a

I get pages of whats in the system. I didn't see any way to copy and post it here.

Does X or Wayland start?
Search for SystemD in the Internet.
There you can find information about the services


How did you partition?

/boot
/ (root)
/home ?
......

If you have a /home partition, then you should consider to reinstall.

Type in the following commands on console:

systemctl -a >/home/<your login name>/log1

yournalctl -a >/home/your login name>log2

and post the content of the logfiles here.

#7
Keruskerfuerst is this what you want? The first listing is journalctl -a



UNIT LOAD ACTIVE SUB DESCRIPTION
proc-sys-fs-binfmt_misc.automount loaded active running Arbitrary Executable File
org.freedesktop.hostname1.busname loaded inactive dead Hostname Service Bus Name
org.freedesktop.locale1.busname loaded inactive dead Locale Service Bus Name
org.freedesktop.login1.busname loaded inactive dead Login Service Bus Name
org.freedesktop.network1.busname loaded inactive dead Network Service Bus Name
org.freedesktop.resolve1.busname loaded inactive dead Network Name Resolution Se
org.freedesktop.systemd1.busname loaded inactive dead System and Service Manager
org.freedesktop.timedate1.busname loaded inactive dead Time & Date Service Bus Na
dev-bus-usb-002-002.device loaded active plugged SCX-4200 series
dev-cdrom.device loaded active plugged ASUS_DRW-24B1ST_a
dev-cdrw.device loaded active plugged ASUS_DRW-24B1ST_a
dev-disk-by\x2did-ata\x2dASUS_DRW\x2d24B1ST_a_B7D0CL410058.device loaded active plugged ASUS_DRW-24B1ST_a
dev-disk-by\x2did-ata\x2dWDC_WD20EZRX\x2d00DC0B0_WD\x2dWCC1T1013380.device loaded active plugged WDC_WD20E
dev-disk-by\x2did-ata\x2dWDC_WD20EZRX\x2d00DC0B0_WD\x2dWCC1T1013380\x2dpart1.device loaded active plugged
dev-disk-by\x2did-ata\x2dWDC_WD20EZRX\x2d00DC0B0_WD\x2dWCC1T1013380\x2dpart2.device loaded active plugged
dev-disk-by\x2did-ata\x2dWDC_WD20EZRX\x2d00DC0B0_WD\x2dWCC1T1013380\x2dpart5.device loaded active plugged
dev-disk-by\x2did-dm\x2dname\x2dubuntu\x2d\x2dvg\x2droot.device loaded active plugged /dev/disk/by-id/dm-n
dev-disk-by\x2did-dm\x2dname\x2dubuntu\x2d\x2dvg\x2dswap_1.device loaded active plugged /dev/disk/by-id/dm
dev-disk-by\x2did-dm\x2duuid\x2dLVM\x2d1crbXdZvNKSzfKVFiKjx3grfFwdUG6KDIZGcn4jvB2SBFj6T0Q173ZbytdFSOJ62.device lo
dev-disk-by\x2did-dm\x2duuid\x2dLVM\x2d1crbXdZvNKSzfKVFiKjx3grfFwdUG6KDmzhuw3w2ICw7KRQo4bLTS2T2QgyoxacF.device lo
dev-disk-by\x2did-lvm\x2dpv\x2duuid\x2dSzyKGH\x2diO0t\x2d3WAu\x2dOBpf\x2dIhfU\x2djWcM\x2dSmJlJV.device loaded
dev-disk-by\x2did-wwn\x2d0x50014ee2b33280b2.device loaded active plugged WDC_WD20EZRX-00DC0B0
dev-disk-by\x2did-wwn\x2d0x50014ee2b33280b2\x2dpart1.device loaded active plugged WDC_WD20EZRX-00DC0B0 1
dev-disk-by\x2did-wwn\x2d0x50014ee2b33280b2\x2dpart2.device loaded active plugged WDC_WD20EZRX-00DC0B0 2
dev-disk-by\x2did-wwn\x2d0x50014ee2b33280b2\x2dpart5.device loaded active plugged WDC_WD20EZRX-00DC0B0 5
dev-disk-by\x2dpath-pci\x2d0000:00:14.1\x2data\x2d1.device loaded active plugged ASUS_DRW-24B1ST_a
dev-disk-by\x2dpath-pci\x2d0000:01:00.0\x2data\x2d1.device loaded active plugged WDC_WD20EZRX-00DC0B0
dev-disk-by\x2dpath-pci\x2d0000:01:00.0\x2data\x2d1\x2dpart1.device loaded active plugged WDC_WD20EZRX-00D
dev-disk-by\x2dpath-pci\x2d0000:01:00.0\x2data\x2d1\x2dpart2.device loaded active plugged WDC_WD20EZRX-00D
dev-disk-by\x2dpath-pci\x2d0000:01:00.0\x2data\x2d1\x2dpart5.device loaded active plugged WDC_WD20EZRX-00D
dev-disk-by\x2duuid-1cba9f0a\x2d5239\x2d41e5\x2d9e8f\x2d9b155da7accc.device loaded active plugged /dev/dis
dev-disk-by\x2duuid-923cec6e\x2d5349\x2d414c\x2d8e11\x2d981b598339c4.device loaded active plugged WDC_WD20
dev-disk-by\x2duuid-d1df40f0\x2d01b4\x2d4cb6\x2dab97\x2d8d63d314c6e0.device loaded active plugged /dev/dis
dev-dm\x2d0.device loaded active plugged /dev/dm-0
dev-dm\x2d1.device loaded active plugged /dev/dm-1
dev-dvd.device loaded active plugged ASUS_DRW-24B1ST_a
dev-dvdrw.device loaded active plugged ASUS_DRW-24B1ST_a
dev-mapper-ubuntu\x2d\x2dvg\x2droot.device loaded active plugged /dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-roo
dev-mapper-ubuntu\x2d\x2dvg\x2dswap_1.device loaded active plugged /dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-swa
dev-ram0.device loaded active plugged /dev/ram0
dev-ram1.device loaded active plugged /dev/ram1
dev-ram10.device loaded active plugged /dev/ram10
dev-ram11.device loaded active plugged /dev/ram11

journactl -a this was the 1st listing you wanted.

-- Logs begin at Thu 2016-10-13 13:39:20 EDT, end at Thu 2016-10-13 16:08:15 EDT. --
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 systemd-journald[306]: Runtime journal (/run/log/journal/) is 8.0M, max 79.8M, 71.8M fr
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: Initializing cgroup subsys cpuset
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: Initializing cgroup subsys cpu
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: Initializing cgroup subsys cpuacct
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: Linux version 4.4.0-42-generic (buildd@lgw01-13) (gcc version 5.4.0 20160609 (U
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: Command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-4.4.0-42-generic root=/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: KERNEL supported cpus:
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: Intel GenuineIntel
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: AMD AuthenticAMD
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: Centaur CentaurHauls
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: tseg: 0000000000
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: x86/fpu: Legacy x87 FPU detected.
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: x86/fpu: Using 'lazy' FPU context switches.
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: e820: BIOS-provided physical RAM map:
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000000000000-0x000000000009efff] usable
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: BIOS-e820: [mem 0x000000000009f000-0x000000000009ffff] reserved
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: BIOS-e820: [mem 0x00000000000e4000-0x00000000000fffff] reserved
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000000100000-0x00000000cff8ffff] usable
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: BIOS-e820: [mem 0x00000000cff90000-0x00000000cff9dfff] ACPI data
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: BIOS-e820: [mem 0x00000000cff9e000-0x00000000cffdffff] ACPI NVS
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: BIOS-e820: [mem 0x00000000cffe0000-0x00000000cfffffff] reserved
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: BIOS-e820: [mem 0x00000000ffe00000-0x00000000ffffffff] reserved
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: BIOS-e820: [mem 0x0000000100000000-0x000000022fffffff] usable
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: NX (Execute Disable) protection: active
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: SMBIOS 2.5 present.
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: DMI: MSI MS-7640/890FXA-GD70 (MS-7640) , BIOS V1.7 10/20/2010
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: e820: update [mem 0x00000000-0x00000fff] usable ==> reserved
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: e820: remove [mem 0x000a0000-0x000fffff] usable
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: AGP: No AGP bridge found
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: e820: last_pfn = 0x230000 max_arch_pfn = 0x400000000
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: MTRR default type: uncachable
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: MTRR fixed ranges enabled:
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: 00000-9FFFF write-back
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: A0000-EFFFF uncachable
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: F0000-FFFFF write-protect
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: MTRR variable ranges enabled:
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: 0 base 000000000000 mask FFFF80000000 write-back
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: 1 base 000080000000 mask FFFFC0000000 write-back
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: 2 base 0000C0000000 mask FFFFF0000000 write-back
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: 3 disabled
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: 4 disabled
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: 5 disabled
Oct 13 13:39:20 nobody-7640 kernel: 6 disabled
lines 1-44

Some ideas if the above don't pan out.


In modern linux they have changed how video support is supposed to be seamless between boot and OS. This kind of assumes how you set up your system. If you used some grub parameters that could be of some issue. We assume that it did work correctly and for some reason stopped doing this action.

I would pull the ac from monitor about the time you need to log in, then plug back in. It is possible that one of two issues are not going on correctly. One is that the driver isn't smoothly maintaining the video or two the monitor isn't following the slight changes like it should. Power off button doesn't nothing usually.




Alternate idea path if you don't get going on the above ideas.

Catch grub and add in nomodeset. Does it work correctly then?

Hi Jefro. I didn't set up the system. I just loaded up Ubuntu 16.04 and used the auto setup feature. It worked fine till it installed some some software updates. Then this all started to happen.

What does this mean? "Catch grub and add in nomodeset" If you want me to do something from the terminal, please tell me how explicitly, I am not terminal savvy.

The above that you speak of is what Keruskerfuerst wanted me to do, I have no idea what to do with the information.

"How to get to the GRUB menu at boot-time?" is what they meant by "grab". Here's one:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/38780...stalled-ubuntu
(this is one of those things that 'heavy-hackers' do sooo much, that they overlook that a *user* oriented person may have never done this)
Edit: oh, ooops, *not* [yet] the part about perm. edit/update grub, in running system!

Additional ideas: try unplugging/plugging-in monitor cable (even several times) while it is booting. Does anything ever appear?
Was anything 'changed', just before this started?

You were a 'genius' to go ahead and blindly enter login password; most people would just 'give up'!

I hope this helps things along a bit. Let us know... Happy to help!

I don't know about the genius part, LOL. I was pretty sure by watching the Led lights when the system was at the password login point. After password login you just watch the LED lights to see when it has loaded everything and waiting to see what the operator wants to do next.
Since normally this point would be where you enter the browser (FireFox) I couldn't very well do that blindly, so the only thing left was to turn the monitor on and off, this worked!

I'll see what else I can do, but have little hope at this point.

Thanks Jefro for trying.

I now get this note on a black screen, it is repeated about 15 times:

"Started Show Plymouth power off screen".

After the note stops, I shut off the monitor wait a couple seconds and turn it on. Then the screen will come on at the password sign in area. I have no idea what "Plymouth" is supposed to stand for!

Could this be the monitor going bad, or have I been hacked ?

No, probably just some 'glitch'. First, *try* just a simple 'esc' (escape key).

Next, take a look at (terminal/shell command):
grep splash /boot/grub/grub.cfg

With root priv., (save a copy, then) edit this file, to remove that word 'splash' (maybe on multiple lines). Maybe take out the 'quiet' too. This is "harmless" (as long as no other "damage" done, of course). (Actually, your change will revert-away if a kernel update [or update-grub] gets done at some future time!) This is also where the "more impactful" nomodeset could be added, to automate an alternative to the "catch grub"!

As always, you can toss any of this at Goo..., and *IF* the words are "optimal", good info will result.
In Firefox I triple-clicked &then right-clicked 'search...' on your whole *quoted* "note":
"Started Show Plymouth power off screen" but the results weren't what I hoped for (shutdown?!? Is that what's going on?!?)