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Thread: How to drop into root shell prompt without going into recovery?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
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    165

    How to drop into root shell prompt without going into recovery?

    Hello,
    I completely hosed my system by installing nvidia-current on 13.10.
    I need to remove it so my system can boot properly.
    sudo apt-get remove nvidia_current would do nicely.
    However, 'm at a los as to how to do this, because the boot freezes on recovery, 6 seconds in, with the message
    "nvidia: module license 'NVIDIA" taints kernel."

    I need to remove nvidia so my system can boot, but my system can't boot until I remove nvidia.

    What Ubuntu sorely needs (if it has, forgive me, I haven't found it) is a failsafe way to boot into shell should the need arise.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Hamunaptra
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    623
    Distro
    Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa

    Re: How to drop into root shell prompt without going into recovery?

    well I am no expert here( but this has helped me twice), but have you tried hitting Ctrl+Alt+F1 once the boot freezes?

    Try it and see if it give you tty1 or if Ctrl+Alt+F2 gives you tty2...(these will be text based terminals)
    Then you can login with your usual user name & password and try using
    Code:
    sudo apt-get remove nvidia-current
    I maybe wrong but it is not nvidia_current.

    Read up before hand how to reinstall open source drivers, just in case that is not reverted back to.

    Also, when the computer boots up there should be an 'Advanced' menu in grub that lets you boot to a failsafe option or maybe that is the recovery mode, i am confused now.
    Last edited by su:bhatta; October 1st, 2013 at 09:13 AM.
    bhatta

    May the Source be with you !
    Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh
    'Buntu-ishi krimpatul !

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    UK
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    Distro
    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: How to drop into root shell prompt without going into recovery?

    Since this is about Ubuntu 13.10, thread moved to Ubuntu +1.

    @HuaiDan, since the boot process freezes when you boot into the current kernel, have you tried booting into a previous kernel, either in normal or recovery mode?
    Ubuntu 20.04 Desktop Guide - Ubuntu 22.04 Desktop Guide - Forum Guide to BBCode - Using BBCode code tags

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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
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    165

    Re: How to drop into root shell prompt without going into recovery?

    Since I did a complete wipe/install in hopes of fixing an earlier problem, there are no other kernels to boot into.
    Which is what I just did, again. I'll try installing a different nvidia, and see if the ctl-alt f2 helps if it freezes, but I think II tried that already.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    UK
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    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: How to drop into root shell prompt without going into recovery?

    If it's the boot process that is freezing, ctr-alt-F* into a virtual console is extremely unlikely to work.

    A bit late now, but another thing that is worth considering when confronted by a situation like this is to chroot into the problem system from a live CD/USB, or from a Linux OS on another partition if you are multi-booting.
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
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    165

    Re: How to drop into root shell prompt without going into recovery?

    Mods, please close this thread. Dropping to a root shell won't fix the bigger problem I'm having. Opening a new thread.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    UK
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    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: How to drop into root shell prompt without going into recovery?

    Closed at request of OP.

    @HuaiDan, if you would like a thread closed it's best to use the Report Post button to send a message to the staff area. It's fine to use the report button for this purpose. I only saw your request because I was subscribed to the thread. Good luck with the new thread.
    Ubuntu 20.04 Desktop Guide - Ubuntu 22.04 Desktop Guide - Forum Guide to BBCode - Using BBCode code tags

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    If you need help with your forum account, such as SSO login issues, username changes, etc, the correct place to contact an admin is here. Please do not PM me about these matters unless you have been asked to - unsolicited PMs concerning forum accounts will be ignored.

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