Symptoms and Error Message

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 73 views

Introduction

Are you experiencing a black screen on boot after encountering the "Oh no! Something has gone wrong." error on your Ubuntu 20.04 system? This issue can be frustrating, especially if you're in the middle of an important task or project. In this article, we'll guide you through the troubleshooting process to resolve this problem and get your system up and running smoothly.

Symptoms and Error Message

When you boot your Ubuntu 20.04 system, you're greeted with a black screen and the following error message:

"Oh no! Something has gone wrong."

This error message is often accompanied by a prompt to log out, but you may not be able to log out or access your system. The error message can be caused by a variety of issues, including software conflicts, hardware problems, or corrupted system files.

System Configuration

In your case, you're using a Dell Latitude E6520 laptop with Ubuntu 20.04 installed. This system configuration can be prone to certain issues, but don't worry, we'll walk you through the troubleshooting steps to resolve the problem.

Troubleshooting Steps

Step 1: Boot in Recovery Mode

To troubleshoot the issue, you'll need to boot your system in recovery mode. This mode allows you to access your system without loading the normal boot process. To boot in recovery mode, follow these steps:

Power off your system.
Power on your system and immediately press the F2 key to enter the BIOS settings.
Navigate to the Boot section and set the Boot Order to UEFI: Ubuntu.
Save the changes and exit the BIOS settings.
Press the F2 key again to enter the BIOS settings.
Navigate to the Boot section and select Ubuntu as the boot device.
Press the Enter key to boot in recovery mode.

Step 2: Run the fsck Command

Once you've booted in recovery mode, you'll need to run the fsck command to check and repair any file system errors. To do this, follow these steps:

Open a terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.
Run the fsck command by typing fsck -y /dev/sda1 (replace /dev/sda1 with your actual file system device).
Press Enter to run the command.

The fsck command will check your file system for any errors and repair them if necessary.

Step 3: Run the update-grub Command

After running the fsck command, you'll need to run the update-grub command to update the GRUB configuration. To do this, follow these steps:

Open a terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.
Run the update-grub command by typing update-grub.
Press Enter to run the command.

The update-grub command will update the GRUB configuration to reflect any changes made to your system.

Step 4: Reboot Your System

Once you've completed the above steps, you can reboot your system to test if the issue has been resolved. To do this, follow these steps:

Close all open applications.
Click on the power button to shut down your system.
Wait for your system to shut down.
Press the power button to turn on your system.

If you're still experiencing the black screen issue, you may need to try additional troubleshooting steps or seek further assistance from a qualified technician.

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

If the above steps don't resolve the issue, you may need to try additional troubleshooting steps. Here are a few more things you can try:

Check your system logs to see if there are any error messages related to the issue.
Run a disk check to ensure that your hard drive is not failing.
Try booting in safe mode to see if the issue is related to a specific driver or service.
Try booting with a minimal kernel to see if the issue is related to a specific kernel module.

Conclusion

Q: What causes the "Oh no! Something has gone wrong." error on Ubuntu 20.04?

A: The "Oh no! Something has gone wrong." error on Ubuntu 20.04 can be caused by a variety of issues, including software conflicts, hardware problems, or corrupted system files. Some common causes include:

Corrupted system files: System files can become corrupted due to software updates, hardware issues, or other factors.
Software conflicts: Conflicts between different software packages can cause the system to crash or display an error message.
Hardware problems: Hardware issues, such as a failing hard drive or a malfunctioning graphics card, can cause the system to crash or display an error message.

Q: How do I troubleshoot the "Oh no! Something has gone wrong." error on Ubuntu 20.04?

A: To troubleshoot the "Oh no! Something has gone wrong." error on Ubuntu 20.04, follow these steps:

Boot in recovery mode: Boot your system in recovery mode to access the system without loading the normal boot process.
Run the fsck command: Run the fsck command to check and repair any file system errors.
Run the update-grub command: Run the update-grub command to update the GRUB configuration.
Reboot your system: Reboot your system to test if the issue has been resolved.

Q: What is the fsck command and how does it work?

A: The fsck command is a file system check command that checks and repairs file system errors. It scans the file system for any errors, such as corrupted files or directory structures, and repairs them if necessary.

Q: What is the update-grub command and how does it work?

A: The update-grub command is a GRUB configuration update command that updates the GRUB configuration to reflect any changes made to the system. It scans the system for any changes, such as new kernel versions or updated software packages, and updates the GRUB configuration accordingly.

Q: How do I boot in recovery mode on Ubuntu 20.04?

A: To boot in recovery mode on Ubuntu 20.04, follow these steps:

Power off your system.
Power on your system and immediately press the F2 key to enter the BIOS settings.
Navigate to the Boot section and set the Boot Order to UEFI: Ubuntu.
Save the changes and exit the BIOS settings.
Press the F2 key again to enter the BIOS settings.
Navigate to the Boot section and select Ubuntu as the boot device.
Press the Enter key to boot in recovery mode.

Q: What are some common causes of the "Oh no! Something has gone wrong." error on Ubuntu 20.04?

A: Some common causes of the "Oh no! Something has gone wrong." error on Ubuntu 20.04 include:

Corrupted system files: System files can become corrupted due to software updates, hardware issues, or other factors.
Software conflicts: Conflicts between different software packages can cause the system to crash or display an error message.
Hardware problems: Hardware issues, such as a failing hard drive or a malfunctioning graphics card, can cause the system to crash or display an error message.

Q: How do I prevent the "Oh no! Something has gone wrong." error on Ubuntu 20.04?

A: To prevent the "Oh no! Something has gone wrong." error on Ubuntu 20.04, follow these best practices:

Regularly update your system: Regularly update your system to ensure that you have the latest software packages and security patches.
Run disk checks: Run disk checks to ensure that your hard drive is not failing.
Monitor system logs: Monitor system logs to identify any potential issues before they become major problems.
Use a reliable backup system: Use a reliable backup system to ensure that your data is safe in case of a system failure.