Infrequent Boot Issues on Ubuntu 20.04
Infrequent Boot Issues on Ubuntu 20.04
She’s using an outdated HP box running Ubuntu Linux. Sometimes it shows this particular error during startup, but it usually resolves after a reboot. She’s worried because she’s not very tech-savvy, and it makes her anxious. The machine has a Core 2 Quad processor, 4GB RAM, a Nvidia graphics card, and an SSD. There’s also an old sound card still installed. Another problem is it sometimes struggles to wake from sleep, though that might not be connected to the issue. Overall, despite its age, it seems to work fine.
I discovered this discussion online. It seems these issues are frequent and not too serious. There are also instructions on how to address them if you wish.
The displayed issue appears consistently, though it occasionally resolves itself. The system blocks booting until a complete reset occurs. Once reset, it functions normally, but it won’t start again until the device is powered off and turned back on. Otherwise, it remains stuck on this display state.
Since its a pretty old system, it probably does not support the entire ACPI specification. Maybe try disabling it. Here is a step-by-step guide I found. https://bobcares.com/blog/turn-off-acpi-...via-grub2/
Likely a graphics driver problem. More analysis is needed on system logs, install rsyslog, and review /var/log/kern.log after the incident for complete details. You notice ACPI on screen possibly due to priority handling, but the actual cause is likely the GPU.
Interesting. You assumed it might be a CPU problem because the latter part seems linked to it. What led you to suspect a graphics issue? (I'll still install rsyslog as suggested, just curious what I might be missing.)
@YoungBlade Enable the grub menu to activate nomodeset. If disabled, hold shift during boot or adjust timeout settings. Modify /etc/default/grub to include nomodeset after the "linux" line, or elsewhere options start with "quiet splash." This disables graphics and relies on CPU for visual tasks. If the system boots repeatedly without problems, install the latest Nvidio driver (version 545) via the "additional drivers" tool.