If you’ve recently installed Ubuntu 20.04 and are encountering a black screen or booting issues, don’t panic. This is a common issue that can often be resolved with a few troubleshooting steps. This article will guide you through several potential solutions to get your system up and running.
Check the BIOS/UEFI settings
The first step in troubleshooting this issue is to check your BIOS or UEFI settings. Ensure that the Secure Boot is disabled, as this can often cause issues with booting Ubuntu.
To access your BIOS/UEFI settings, you’ll need to restart your computer and press the appropriate key (usually F2, F12, or Delete) during the startup process. Once in the settings, navigate to the ‘Boot’ section and ensure that Secure Boot is disabled.
Edit Boot Parameters
If the BIOS/UEFI settings are correct, the next step is to edit the boot parameters. To do this, you’ll need to access the GRUB boot loader.
When your computer starts up, hold down the Shift key to bring up the GRUB menu. Select the Ubuntu option, then press e to edit.
In the text that appears, look for the line that begins with linux. At the end of this line, remove quiet splash and replace it with nomodeset.
The quiet splash parameters hide booting messages and display the splash screen, while nomodeset forces the system to boot using low resolution graphics mode.
Once done, press Ctrl + X or F10 to boot with these parameters.
Disable Splash Screen
If the issue persists, try disabling the splash screen. This can be done by editing the GRUB configuration file.
Open a terminal and type the following command to open the configuration file:
sudo nano /etc/default/grubIn the file, locate the line that reads GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT. Remove splash from this line, then save and exit by pressing Ctrl + X, then Y, then Enter.
After making this change, update GRUB with the following command:
sudo update-grubThis will disable the splash screen, which may resolve the issue.
Check Graphics Drivers
If you’re still experiencing issues, it may be due to your graphics drivers. If you have an AMD or Nvidia graphics card, you may need to try different drivers.
To do this, open the Software & Updates application and navigate to the Additional Drivers tab. Here, you can switch between different driver versions.
Try Different Kernel Versions
If the issue is related to a specific kernel version, you can try booting with a different kernel. To do this, restart your computer and hold down the Shift key to bring up the GRUB menu.
From here, select the ‘Advanced options for Ubuntu’ option, then select a different kernel version.
Console Workaround
Some users have reported success by opening a console (tty2) and then returning to tty1 during the boot process. To do this, press Ctrl + Alt + F2 to open tty2, then Ctrl + Alt + F1 to return to tty1.
Conclusion
While these solutions may not work for everyone, they should help to resolve the most common causes of a black screen or booting issues after installing Ubuntu 20.04. Remember, troubleshooting often involves some trial and error, so don’t be discouraged if the first solution you try doesn’t work. With patience and persistence, you should be able to get your system up and running.
To access the BIOS/UEFI settings, restart your computer and press the appropriate key (usually F2, F12, or Delete) during the startup process.
If Secure Boot is enabled, you should disable it. This can often cause issues with booting Ubuntu. Navigate to the ‘Boot’ section in the BIOS/UEFI settings and disable Secure Boot.
To edit the boot parameters in GRUB, hold down the Shift key when your computer starts up to bring up the GRUB menu. Select the Ubuntu option, then press e to edit. Look for the line that begins with linux and modify it as needed.
The nomodeset parameter forces the system to boot using low-resolution graphics mode. This can help resolve issues with black screens or booting problems.
To disable the splash screen in GRUB, open a terminal and use the command sudo nano /etc/default/grub to open the configuration file. Locate the line that reads GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT and remove splash from it. Save and exit the file, then update GRUB with sudo update-grub.
To switch between different graphics drivers, open the Software & Updates application and go to the Additional Drivers tab. Here, you can select and switch between different driver versions for your AMD or Nvidia graphics card.
To boot with a different kernel version, restart your computer and hold down the Shift key to bring up the GRUB menu. Select the ‘Advanced options for Ubuntu’ option, then choose a different kernel version from the list.
To open a console (tty2) and return to tty1 during the boot process, press Ctrl + Alt + F2 to open tty2, then press Ctrl + Alt + F1 to return to tty1.
If none of the solutions work, it may be necessary to seek further assistance from the Ubuntu community forums or consult a professional in order to diagnose and resolve the issue.
