Re-install using
[TUTORIAL] Installing Mint on a Windows 8/8.1/10 Computer as the guide.

and "almost any" key interrupts grub.

That's dual boot though, Habitual, with which there would be no problem. The OP has a single operating system, Mint 18.1, and it appears that, if it's the only game in town, Mint hides the boot grub menu by default (or at least it appears to have done so here). I didn't know this was the case to be honest.

My bad.
Shift (I favor left for "some reason") usually interrupts grub in my experience.

nomodeset the next "step"?
He never did answer how this kernel got installed...

LM grub menu should show a "Previous kernel" option that I would definitely give a shot at before
"rescue" or single.

Travelmate computer may have fumbled the Fn toggle, if there is one?

No problem. I think OP should add a couple of seconds timeout to the boot grub menu in the meantime, and then just wait until the next 4.4 series kernel release and try that one (in the theory that the problem has been encountered elsewhere and rectified).

Now waiting to see what the OP has in their grub file (re: svg00's comment) so can advise properly.

Edit: OP is running Mint 18.1, so the greatest likelihood is that the kernel update was offered by the mintupdate Update Manager, and accepted for installation. Or else installed through a standard sudo apt-get update/upgrade. I'm running that same version on a fully-updated system.

Gottfried63,

How about giving it a dose of Rescatux?

Download:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/rescatux/

More Rescatux links:

http://www.supergrubdisk.org/rescatux/

https://www.howtoforge.com/tutorial/...with-rescatux/

http://www.linux-magazine.com/Issues...ux-Rescue-Disk

Thank you all for your engagement in this. I was a few days absent and actually needed my notebook for this. that esc key worked, and as I got into the grub menu I used the steps, I was told in the beginning, to uninstall the 4.4.64 kernel. The tips to better not install 4.8...Kernel I took serious and am just happy with a running system. I could really work and had a fantastic time. If that kernel is wrong or my notebook, I am too much of an amateur to care about. All I need is that notebook running. The next kernel update, I might even not try again.
So again thank you all experts, my problem is solved and I am happy.

Great. Remember though that kernel updates on a given branch (like 4.4) include backported security fixes, so it's best to keep up with the branch if possible from a security perspective. Now that you know how to revert to a previous kernel, I would try getting back on that bicycle if I were you at some point (after a respectful pause if so required).