Here's an odd one for ya. Probably just a coinkydink, but who knows ...
I had a hell of a time getting my 32bit circa 2004 Peppermint/Ubu test machine booted. I hadn't started it in a couple of weeks.
Figured out, my CMOS was scrambled - wouldn't boot - couldn't save changes to BIOS, blah, blah, blah. Sound familiar?

After a couple of hours or trial and error, I finally got to the login screen. First thing I did was:
Commit Log for Thu Dec 28 10:13:52 2017
Upgraded the following packages:
linux-generic-hwe-16.04-edge (4.13.0.19.26) to 4.13.0.22.28
linux-headers-generic-hwe-16.04-edge (4.13.0.19.26) to 4.13.0.22.28
linux-image-generic-hwe-16.04-edge (4.13.0.19.26) to 4.13.0.22.28
That worked a treat, so I subsequently decided to play it say (judging by the mail lists) and install the Linux 4.14.10 mainline kernel.
Spoiler (click here to view / hide)
╭─vindsl@Boogaloo-6 ~
╰─➤ inxi -Fxz
System: Host: Boogaloo-6 Kernel: 4.14.10-041410-generic i686 (32 bit gcc: 7.2.0)
Desktop: N/A Distro: Peppermint Seven
Machine: Mobo: N/A model: Canterwood
Bios: Phoenix v: 6.00 PG date: 04/09/2004
CPU: Single core Intel Pentium 4 (-HT-) cache: 2048 KB
flags: (pae sse sse2) bmips: 6815
clock speeds: max: 3407 MHz 1: 3407 MHz 2: 3407 MHz
Graphics: Card: NVIDIA G73 [GeForce 7600 GT] bus-ID: 01:00.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz
GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on NV4B
GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 17.0.7 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card Intel 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) AC'97 Audio Controller
driver: snd_intel8x0 ports: d800 dc00 bus-ID: 00:1f.5
Sound: ALSA v: k4.14.10-041410-generic
Network: Card-1: Intel 82547EI Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: e1000 v: 7.3.21-k8-NAPI port: a000 bus-ID: 02:01.0
IF: enp2s1 state: down mac: <filter>
Card-2: Lite-On LNE100TX
driver: tulip v: 1.1.15 port: 9400 bus-ID: 03:0c.0
IF: enp3s12 state: unknown speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (12.8% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: SAMSUNG_HD103SJ size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 120G used: 4.5G (4%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda8
ID-2: /home size: 612G used: 115G (20%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda9
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 53.5C mobo: N/A gpu: 47.0
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 159 Uptime: 44 min Memory: 532.4/2012.8MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: N/A
Client: Shell (zsh 5.1.1) inxi: 2.2.35
Anyway, gotta love Linux. The old girl lives to fight another day

