Most Recent Kernel Update Makes Machine Unusable

[Kenneth Jacker]

My office machine (Dell Optiplex 760) is still running Ubuntu 10.04.4.
It is due for a major upgrade after I do the same on my home machine.

Notified of the availability of a new kernel (among other things), I, as
usual, went ahead and upgraded and rebooted.  Here's a list from my logs
showing what was done:

    --------------------- dpkg status changes Begin -------------
   
    Installed:
       linux-headers-2.6.32-61 2.6.32-61.124
       linux-headers-2.6.32-61-generic 2.6.32-61.124
       linux-image-2.6.32-61-generic 2.6.32-61.124
    
    Upgraded:
       libssl0.9.8 0.9.8k-7ubuntu8.15 => 0.9.8k-7ubuntu8.18
       linux-generic 2.6.32.60.67 => 2.6.32.61.68
       linux-headers-generic 2.6.32.60.67 => 2.6.32.61.68
       linux-image-generic 2.6.32.60.67 => 2.6.32.61.68
       linux-libc-dev 2.6.32-60.122 => 2.6.32-61.124
       openssl 0.9.8k-7ubuntu8.15 => 0.9.8k-7ubuntu8.18
    
    ---------------------- dpkg status changes End -------------- 

Upon rebooting, the machine was "sluggish" and the GUI/Desktop only
contained "empty" windows.  The only way I could continue was to hold
down the "power button" ... :(

After trying various things, I went back (via Grub) and reverted to the
previous kernel (2.6.32-60), which returned things to "normal".

I have upgraded kernels like this for *years*, and never have had a problem.

Did others upgraded successfully?


Thanks for your help/comments!

-- 
Prof Kenneth H Jacker (ret)   khj at cs.appstate.edu
Computer Science Dept         www.cs.appstate.edu/~khj
Appalachian State Univ
Boone, NC  28608  USA