Zorin 12.2 won't boot after latest OS update

Hi, I'm new to Zorin and still trying to find my way around. I've had Zorin installed for weeks now and have been getting to like it. I've been trying to set up Samba (2 steps forward and 1 back). I did a OS update yesterday afternoon and at that time everything seemed OK. Then later I tried to boot up Zorin and after the initial ZORIN 12 . . . . got a black screen which flashed (see Screen Shot.jpg) then every couple of seconds with the words:
"ZORIN OS 12.2 les-VPCCW1S1E tty1
les-VPCCW1S1E login: ^[[C^ ^[[C^ ^[[C^ ^[[C^ ^[[C^ "
However I wasn't able to log in or enter anything on the keyboard.
I've tried 'groping' through the other Zorin options on the initial boot screen (which still work) but none of my efforts have affected the problems with the normal Zorin boot option. I've also tried Googling and drawn a blank. Please can anyone suggest anything? Thanks.

Computer: Sony laptop VPCCW1S1E
RAM: 4064MB
Dual boot Zorin 12.2, 64 bit; Windows 7 Service Pack 1, 64 bit
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 230M

Can you boot into advanced mode and choose an earlier kernel? If Zorin is the only OS on the machine you will need to hold the left Shift key to view GRUB at boot time.
Make sure you have a direct connection to the internet if possible via ethernet to router and then choose the safe mode options / recovery and run DPKG. If you are eventually able to boot into normal graphics mode, first can you go to Software & Updates (Menu | System Settings) and make sure that your software sources are pointing to 'Main Server' which hopefully should avoid update woes. This appears to be happening a lot lately but I think it is down to Sofware Server location, but I could be wrong.

Keep us posted.

Earlier today I spotted the post "Stuck at boot <-> recovery mode resume boot" and tried the advanced recovery option you have suggest. Ran DPKG and it found 170kb files to install. However when I subsequently rebooted and tried the normal Zorin option nothing had changed (still flashing the screen every few seconds with the same text as before). It would be good to know what has gone wrong so that I could try to avoid it in future.
As I'm still feeling my way on Zorin and haven't any data files yet that I'm bothered about so I'm going to 'bite the bullet' and reinstall from the installation DVD. This will be my third attempt so I'm getting adept at that bit anyway.

I've presently only downloaded the Core version as I wanted to try Zorin out before going to the Ultimate version. However if there's advantage in going to the Ultimate version now, I'll do so?

Hi, before going down the Ultimate root, take your time to look at the 'unofficial manual' here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13614

Ultimately, (no pun intended) BEFORE you attempt an update, make sure that your source is set to 'Main Server' for updates and not your country's local/e server:

Good stuff thanks Swarf. I started reading through the manual and then tried installing Zorin Ultimate. Initially I tried the trial before install option but as you said it is a slow way to go so at the next opportunity selected install (next to my Windows 7 OS). It seemed to go OK at first but I subsequently screwed the installation by trying to install the NVIDIA driver and the Intel microcode driver at once. It didn't like that and I ended up with the Ubuntu 16.04 LTS log on screen but couldn't log on.

So I slept on it, erased the partitions and did the proper install right away. When I came to install the drivers I did them one at a time rebooting in between and I'm now up and running on Ultimate.

Now's the time to continue going through your manual............... I'm going to press on with setting up Samba and hope it doesn't crash again before I've finished!

Thanks very much for the support

Hi lat002, Glad you are now up and running. I have an nVidia card but prefer the GNU/Linux nouveau driver and wary of the microcode. Be sure to read this on microcode:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/824463/ ... rivers-tab

Hi Swarfender437,
I celebrated too soon . Even though I'd booted the computer successfully a few times yesterday and once this morning, when I've tried again this afternoon it's not working.
I get the log in screen, enter details, the screen flashes, then the Ubuntu 16.04 LTS log on screen comes up, so I enter the details again (ad infinitum).
If I reboot and try the dpkg option (with ethernet internet link) it gets stuck at the line '[ OK ] Started Braille Device Support' and nothing else happens.
I suspect either the NVIDIA driver or the Intel Microcode firmware is causing the fault. I don't know how to deselect either of these options without the GUI which I can't get to, (or if it's even possible).
I'm happy to reinstall Ultimate to overcome this but I'd like to use the Microcode eventually when Intel come up with a counter to 'meltdown' and 'spectre'. I've downloaded their latest 'microcode-20180108.tgz' but haven't yet had chance to check whether these issues are addressed within.
I'm thinking to use the GNU/Linux nouveau driver as you do and forget the NVIDA driver and hope the OS works properly.

Hi, take a look at this article and see if any of the three suggestions work for you:

https://www.linuxslaves.com/2016/05/3-w ... -loop.html

Hi Swarfender437 and thanks for the suggestions.
Unfortunately they didn't work for me although the third one looked promising for awhile. In executing the purge lightdm it told me that dpkg hadn't completed properly and told me the instruction to redo the operation manually (which I did). Then of course when I completed install and reconfigue lightdm and reboot, I was back in the log on loop.
No surprise then I erased the partitions and reinstalled Ultimate from scratch. I'm please to say it's working (tempting providence) and I've selected the Intel Microcode firmware in the distro (which I think is the latest available anyway). I did not select the NVIDIA driver which I think must have been the culprit giving me the problem I'd experienced.
Now back to trying to set up Samba.........
Thanks

Hi, have you installed Synaptic Package Manager? That has more packages for lots of different software than 'Software' - you can install Synaptic' from Software.

This article may help, but be warned, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK!:

http://www.ubuntugeek.com/install-samba ... erver.html

Hello,
Yes, I've installed Synaptic Package Manager and Samba installed when I set sharing on my Documents. I've copied smb.conf so I'm ready to start working through the Samba guides. I'm using https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Main_Page as reference as I think it should be most up to date.
I understand your warning. I've already tried a few 'ready made' smb.conf examples that didn't work for multiple reasons, (usually because they were out of date). I realised the need to run the testparm command (as stated in smb.conf) to make sure the syntax of changes are correct. I'll work through the link you've sent and hopefully it will get me up and running more quickly. Thanks.