Mint 18.3 XFCE hangs on boot

[barnettgs]

I have installed Linux Mint 18.3 XFCE on Dell Inspirion Mini 10v 1018 netbook. It booted up fine on Live CD and also reboot fine (only once) after the installation of Mint 18.3. But when I do further reboot or shut down then upon booting up, it just hang on Mint boot screen.

I have already done a few re-installs, it has made no difference. I'm not sure why that is happening once it is installed, especially that Live CD booted up fine and rebooted fine only just one. Trying to boot it up again, it hangs.

What should I do?

[Mattyboy]

Boot up the live version again and post the results of this terminal command.

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inxi -Fxz

Did you do anything after booting the system for the first time like run updates?

[barnettgs]

Didn't do anything at all and also didn't do the updates although I had connected it to Wifi during the installation so it could have downloaded updates itself?

Maybe I will try the installation but without connecting to the internet so it will not get any updates and see if it can boot up again? (after normally successful reboot after installation)

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System:    Host: mint Kernel: 4.10.0-38-generic i686 (32 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Xfce 4.12.3 (Gtk 2.24.28) Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   Mobo: Dell model: 0GHG2G v: A02 Bios: Dell v: A02 date: 11/12/2010
CPU:       Single core Intel Atom N455 (-HT-) cache: 512 KB
           flags: (lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 3325
           clock speeds: max: 1667 MHz 1: 1333 MHz 2: 1333 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Atom Processor D4xx/D5xx/N4xx/N5xx Integrated Graphics Controller
           bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1024x600@60.34hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Pineview M x86/MMX/SSE2
           GLX Version: 1.4 Mesa 17.0.7 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-38-generic
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8101/2/6E PCI Express Fast/Gigabit Ethernet controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: 2000 bus-ID: 05:00.0
           IF: enp5s0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Realtek RTL8188CE 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter
           driver: rtl8192ce port: 3000 bus-ID: 07:00.0
           IF: wlp7s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 250.1GB (0.8% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD2500BEVT size: 250.1GB temp: 25C
Partition: ID-1: swap-1 size: 2.13GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 41.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 173 Uptime: 4 min Memory: 253.9/2002.6MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35 

[catweazel]

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Graphics:  Card: Intel Atom Processor D4xx/D5xx/N4xx/N5xx Integrated Graphics Controller

See Solving freezes.

[barnettgs]

Just tried no freeze solution with each of three options presented and none of them has booted up.

However, it stops everytime at:

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Started LSB: daemon to balance interrupts for SMP systems.

[catweazel]

Just tried no freeze solution with each of three options presented and none of them has booted up.

However, it stops everytime at:

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Started LSB: daemon to balance interrupts for SMP systems.

Ok, it's gone beyond what I might be able to help with. My apologies. Maybe @Mattyboy can shed more l8ight on it for you.

[barnettgs]

Thanks, not at all. The strange thing is that it booted up fine on Live CD and fine again after the successful installation.

[Sir Charles]

Just a hunch. Since the system boots up fine after a fresh install, maybe you could change the kernel to 4.4.0-116. You could also go to Settings:Driver Managers and install the suggested drivers. Shutdown. Just right after you power-up again press left-shif key repeatedly (if left shift won't work try esc) to get to the screen with other boot options. Choose 4.4.0-116 to boot up. Hope this helps.

The strange thing is that it booted up fine on Live CD and fine again after the successful installation.

It is indeed strange. In the light of this my suggestion seems out of place, but maybe there is a slightest chance that it might resolve the issue.

[Pjotr]

Just a hunch. Since the system boots up fine after a fresh install, maybe you could change the kernel to 4.4.0-116. You could also go to Settings:Driver Managers and install the suggested drivers. Shutdown. Just right after you power-up again press left-shif key repeatedly (if left shift won't work try esc) to get to the screen with other boot options. Choose 4.4.0-116 to boot up. Hope this helps.

The strange thing is that it booted up fine on Live CD and fine again after the successful installation.

It is indeed strange. In the light of this my suggestion seems out of place, but maybe there is a slightest chance that it might resolve the issue.

Good tip. That's what I would try myself, as well....

[barnettgs]

Hmm it is showing 4.10.0.38 but how do I change it?

I have already tried the Driver Manager upon the installation and there was only update for Intel Atom processor. It didn't help.

[Pjotr]

Hmm it is showing 4.10.0.38 but how do I change it?

Update Manager - panel: View - Linux kernels

Install the latest kernel from the 4.4. series (currently 4.4.0-116), reboot and boot from it (it's under the header Advanced in the Grub bootloader menu). Then remove the 4.10.0-38.

[barnettgs]

Ah I see, since it doesn't boot up, I don't think thats possible to access to the Update Manager unless I do re-installation?

[Sir Charles]

I am afraid so. Unless someone has a workaround.

[barnettgs]

Ok I did a re-installation and installed the latest kernal. On boot menu, I see 4.10.0.38 and 4.10.0.36 but both failed to boot up.

[Mattyboy]

I would hit the Dell forums with this problem 'cause its a weird one for sure!

You did check the legitimacy of the ISO you downloaded? ( clutching at straws here ).

Oh, and... Linux doesn't install additional software without your explicit permission. Just to clear that up.

[barnettgs]

I would hit the Dell forums with this problem 'cause its a weird one for sure!

You did check the legitimacy of the ISO you downloaded? ( clutching at straws here ).

Oh, and... Linux doesn't install additional software without your explicit permission. Just to clear that up.

Yes, it installed fine on other system recently and worked great. Of course, it is a standard install every time, in fact I did the installation at least 4 or 5 times!

In the meantime, I'm googling for this solution as well as downloading Linux Lite ISO to try out.

[barnettgs]

Anyone? I have played with Linux Lite and while it is nice with similar applications, I actually prefer the Linux Mint but it would be the last resort.

[FreedomTruth]

But when I do further reboot or shut down then upon booting up, it just hang on Mint boot screen.

Can you try this:
Reboot, hold down shift or press escape to get the grub menu (if it doesn't normally show up)
press 'e' to edit the default entry (it should say something like "Linux Mint 18.3 Xfce 64-bit")
Move down to the next-to-last line, it will look sort of like this (I know your kernel and root wont be the same but that's ok) linux /vmlinuz-4.4.0-116-generic root=/dev/mapper/mint--vg-root ro quiet splash $vt_handoff
remove "quiet splash" from that line (using delete or backspace), then press F10 to continue booting.
When it locks up, what are the last few messages shown, or can you take a readable picture of the entire screen?

[barnettgs]

Sure, here it is:

20180306_200557.jpg

[barnettgs]

Regarding the backlight - I think I have found this on Google search, although it's for Ubuntu, maybe it might work also for Linux mint?

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2332063