Ubuntu upgrade 16.04.1 failed to start load kernel modules

Question

I've tried to upgrade Ubuntu 14.04 LTS to the 16.04.1 version and I've got an error saying

Failed to start load kernel modules

Once I press ctrl+alt+F1 to open the command line, the screen turns black and at the top left corner appears:

Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS ROPE-PC tty1

ROPE-PC login:

Now, I have no idea what I have to type in there because Ubuntu previously only asked for my password...

Answer 1

The login prompt asks for your username.(If you do not remember user name, see another shortcut further below)When you must have installed Ubuntu 14.04, the installer automatically selects a PC name(that appears over a network) based on user name. ROPE-PC is the PC name. So, I guess your username must be ROPE or rope or something similar(I hope you remember). Please enter:

ROPE-PC login: (your user name here)

Then the terminal will prompt for password

password: (Enter password here, no dots will be displayed)

Then you will drop to ordinary prompt as:

username@ROPE-PC: $

From here, you can try finding out what went wrong with the kernel or try to reload the kernel(modprobe and modinfo utilities help)

I ran into a similar problem with graphics modules not loading in Ubuntu 14.04 two years back. A simple fix solved the issue. I suggest if you can connect to internet via LAN cable, please do so. It is easiest to switch on Ethernet port using ifconfig utility from command line. See here : ifconfig command examples

Then try :

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -f install
sudo dpkg --configure -a

If you are sure that the pc downloaded all updates properly and that the internet connection was never interrupted, simply run

sudo dpkg --configure -a

Once the above command finishes:

sudo reboot

If you do not remember user name: You need to enter grub. Please follow instructions here: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RecoveryMode
to drop to root shell.

Another method to drop to root shell is as follows(source www.botskool.com/geeks/how-recover-your-ubuntu-1004-password):

1. Press e at GRUB menu. e means edit
2. Find out line that contains "ro quiet splash" and move the cursor using arrow keys and go to that line, simply replace "ro quiet splash" with "rw init=/bin/bash" without double quotes and then use CTRL + X to boot the system.

3. Now your system will boot to root shell.

   It will simply look like:

   #
   

   Then run

   dpkg --configure -a 
   

   (sudo is not required)