Fixing the error "Finished Record Runlevel Change in UTMP"

June

2025

Fixing the error "Finished Record Runlevel Change in UTMP"

Linux

19 June 2025 0:49

When transferring a hard drive with Linux Mint installed from one computer to another), loading the operating system stopped with the error "Finished Record Runlevel Change in UTMP".

Description of the situation

I have an SSD with Linux Mint OS installed on it, which I brought home from my workplace. When trying to boot from it on a home personal computer, an error occurs:

"Starting Record Runlevel Change in UTMP".

The download stops and the following message appears on the screen:

"Finished Record Runlevel Change in UTMP".

Below in the article is a solution to this problem.

In order to save recovery time, first check if at least one of the other boot options is working in the Grub2 menu - Additional boot options (the Grub menu can be called up using the Shift key for old BIOSes or Esc for new ones when booting a PC), where you can select a different kernel. If the download has occurred, you can go straight to “Part 2”.

Part 1. Actions as "root" from recovery mode

1) When you turn on your Linux PC, in the Grub2 menu, select “Advanced boot options” and in it “Run in recovery mode”.
Then point "root" and enter the known root password that you used earlier.
2) We restore the network, because it may not exist, as indicated by the error when executing the ping command "Temporary name resolution problem".
To eliminate it, edit the file /etc/network/interfaces.

But first of all, you need to find out the name of the network adapter:

ifconfig -a

В мIn my case, the name was enp2s10 on my work PC, and enp2s0 on my home PC. Also fixed nameserver for name resolution. In my case article "netplan as a replacement for /etc/network/interfaces".

Find out if netplan is used:

sudo netplan status

If netplan is used, then "Online state: online".
This article discusses the option - netplan is not used (status "unmanaged").

Opened the file in nano to edit /etc/network/interfaces and fixed it:

nano /etc/network/interfaces

#This file describes the network interfaces available on your system


and how to activate them. For more information, see interfaces(5).
The loopback network interface
auto lo

iface lo inet loopback
The primary network interface

auto enp2s0 allow-hotplug enp2s0 iface enp2s0 inet dhcp nameserver 8.8.8.8

Ctrl+O , Ctrl+X

After that, I started the network service, and for reliability, systemd-resolved:

service networking start
resolvconf -u
systemctl restart systemd-resolved.service

Now ping by hostname works:

ping mail.ru

Now, by deleting large files, we clear free space on the disk.
You need to free up about 3.5 GB.

cd /home
ls
cd имя_пользователя
ls -l
rm имя_файла
cd Загрузки
ls -l
rm *.iso

etc. until we free up space.

Part 2. Solving the problem with the video card driver

Let's find out the version of the OS kernel, because... the driver should be built into the kernel automatically using dkms,
when installing a package with a video card driver.

uname -a

turned out to be Linux it-linux 5.15.0-141-generic - about the same works great on a work PC at the moment.

Find out the video card model:

inxi -G

In my case - nVidia, I removed the nouveau driver and immediately installed the nVidia driver (If the video card is built-in from AMD or Intel, then you need to install other packages accordingly).

apt update
apt install ubuntu-drivers-common

apt remove xserver-xorg-video-nouveau

ubuntu-drivers list
ubuntu-drivers install

Thus, the video card driver "nvidia-driver-390" is installed and loaded into the active kernel.

Part 3: Editing /etc/default/grub

1) Added to the file /etc/default/grub next text

nano /etc/default/grub

#The resolution used on graphical terminal


note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'

GRUB_GFXMODE=1280x1024x32 GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=keep GRUB_TERMINAL=gfxterm

where 1280x1024 is the maximum resolution for my home display, x32 is the color depth.
keep - do not change resolution after changing from grub2 to continue booting.

Ctrl+O , Ctrl+X

Updating grub2 from the same root mode

update-grub2

(The update-grub2 and update-grub commands are equivalent.)

Part 4. Reboot

reboot

In my case, the download occurred and the transition from text to graphical mode allowed me to launch the desktop.

Part 5. Solving possible problems

(Skip this point if there are no problems).

1) If the download does not reach the point of entering the password or the desktop does not appear, you need to turn off and turn on the PC, enter recovery mode again and then select the “root” menu item. Run the command there

update-initramfs -k all -c

The video card driver will be loaded into all (-k all) Linux kernels present on the PC. Then reboot

reboot

2) You can try to reinstall the XServer package:

apt install --reinstall xserver-xorg-core

3) Update the system and the latest mesa driver will be installed

apt update
apt upgrade -y

4) Depending on the desktop and window manager, they can also be reinstalled:

echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP
apt install --reinstall lxqt #OR gnome-core, gnome-shell, gnome-session

cat /etc/X11/default-display-manager
sudo apt install --reinstall lightdm #OR gdm

dpkg-reconfigure lightdm

5) From the console you can execute (source)

service lightdm stop
sudo X -configure
sudo mv xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf
sudo start lightdm

Instead of lightdm there could be gdm for the Gnome window manager. Or xfwm4 for xfce.

!Warning. this manual contains unnecessary advice. If the operating system is working, unnecessary changes such as GRUB_GFXMODE=1280x1024x32 must be reverted, i.e. comment out. Also, the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file is not needed on most modern operating systems; it can be deleted.

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