Desktop Doesn't Load w/ Kernel Version 5.4.0-56-generic

**windows7ge** · December 7th, 2020

Originally Posted by Impavidus

If you install linux-generic-hwe-20.04-edge on Ubuntu 20.04, you'll get the 5.8 kernel from the official repositories.

Is this something I can download/install with apt or is there a different install process I have to go through?

**deadflowr** · December 7th, 2020

Is this something I can download/install with apt or is there a different install process I have to go through?

You can install it through apt,

Code:

sudo apt install linux-generic-hwe-20.04-edge

You can read about Ubuntu's hardware enablement stacks here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/LTSEn...tStack#Desktop
And information about the different stacks here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/Rolli...Implementation

**windows7ge** · December 7th, 2020

Originally Posted by deadflowr

You can install it through apt,

Code:

sudo apt install linux-generic-hwe-20.04-edge

You can read about Ubuntu's hardware enablement stacks here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/LTSEn...tStack#Desktop
And information about the different stacks here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/Rolli...Implementation

When I get off work tonight I'll give it a shot and report back.

I remember briefly reading about HWE pertaining to the proprietary AMD driver. I will have to look over it again though as I've forgotten what it means.

In the meantime I was able to update the Kernel with uktools but the version it downloaded was hardly newer (if not older...) but the desktop does load again on it's own without my intervention at boot. Regardless I'll step up to 5.8 since I will need good AMD support for the newer hardware I plan on buying.

**windows7ge** · December 8th, 2020

Originally Posted by CelticWarrior

Yes, 5.8 or newer.

Originally Posted by Impavidus

If you install linux-generic-hwe-20.04-edge on Ubuntu 20.04, you'll get the 5.8 kernel from the official repositories.

Originally Posted by deadflowr

You can install it through apt,

Code:

sudo apt install linux-generic-hwe-20.04-edge

You can read about Ubuntu's hardware enablement stacks here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/LTSEn...tStack#Desktop
And information about the different stacks here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/Rolli...Implementation

Got 5.8.0-31-generic installed and it made no difference to the behavior. However using the older kernel 5.4.0-54-generic, or the one uktools downloaded 5.5.4-050504-generic the system boots with the desktop environment just fine.

So some issue on 5.4.0-56 that doesn't occur on 5.5.4-050504 but occurs again on 5.8.0-31.

I have no idea what's going on here.

**windows7ge** · December 10th, 2020

Alright, I don't know if I just quoted you guys wrong or if all three of you gave up (hoping the former) but I came up with a work-around at least until I feel the time is right to just do a full system re-install.

So whatever is causing the desktop to not load on kernels 5.4.0-56 & 5.8.0-31 but work fine on 5.4.0-54 & 5.5.4-050504 is the only thing I'm worried about. No other functionally seems to be impacted at this time.

So what I've done is I've gone into /etc/default/grub and edited the default kernel with:

Code:

#GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_DEFAULT="gnulinux-advanced-ce7a9223-fe11-40c4-927c-d2f89654d6e2>gnulinux-5.5.4-050504-generic-advanced-ce7a9223-fe11-40c4-927c-d2f89654d6e2"

So now kernel 5.5.4-050504 starts at system boot and I hope subsequent system updates don't rewrite the GRUB file. If they don't then this fixes the problem until I feel like re-installing the OS or actually locate an error log somewhere that explains what's actually failing when the select kernels try to start the desktop service/program.

**deadflowr** · December 10th, 2020

Alright, I don't know if I just quoted you guys wrong or if all three of you gave up

I only posted to give the command of installing the upgrade kernel version and what it relates to in terms of hardware stacks.

So now kernel 5.5.4-050504 starts at system boot and I hope subsequent system updates don't rewrite the GRUB file.

The /etc/default/grub file will remain as is through updates.
If an update comes that want to overwrite that file you will be notified during the update if you want to keep the current file you have or replace it with the new version from the updated package.
Most all files related to the /etc directory are treated this way.

**windows7ge** · December 10th, 2020

Originally Posted by deadflowr

The /etc/default/grub file will remain as is through updates.
If an update comes that want to overwrite that file you will be notified during the update if you want to keep the current file you have or replace it with the new version from the updated package.
Most all files related to the /etc directory are treated this way.

Just in case I'm not paying attention and click through one of those updates without reading it I might make a grub.bak file.