no response to commands since update today

The last Ubuntu update was a kernel update. Try updating again It may have old kernel packages to remove.
As my Ubuntu 20.04 just did. What version of Ubuntu do you have?

Bernard,
I have version 16.04 and when I ran the updater as suggested it indicates I am up to date but version 18 is available.Problem still exists and I'm reluctant to try moving to version 18 since the commands don't respond.
John

You should use your recovery from your backup. After the recovery then upgrade to version 18

Bernard,
I've never done that before so not sure how to find backup or make recovery.Am I in Ubuntu when I do this and will it take a command to do this? I'm kind of a novice .
John

I might of miss understood - "(my Ubuntu back-up)" So you have not previously made a Ubuntu backup of the OS.

Bernard,
I have backed up my files on an external hard-drive in case of a crash usually before I upgrade to a newer version but not to the OS system.I found an icon for backup but it does not respond.Is this something I should have done and should continue to do or does the system automatically create a backup and/or remind me from time to time to do this?It never has.
John

Further to Question #695258 for Bernard Stafford

Bernard,
Don't know where to go from here.If the OS was not backed up is it irretrievable?Is this a bug that can be fixed since the loss of command immediately followed the update(should I file a bug report)?Do I have to abandon this version altogether and download the newest version to start from scratch?

John

Their is an option on the Ubuntu 20.04 installer to install alongside windows using your Ubuntu 16.04 partitions. Otherwise you will have 2 copies of Ubuntu along side windows. Ubuntu 20.04 is supported until April 2025. Ubuntu 20.10 is only supported until July 2021.

Can you switch to a virtual terminal, e.g. by pressing ctrl-alt-f3?

You should be greeted with a text terminal asking "login:"
If this works, enter your username there, and on the next prompt enter your password, and then you should see a command prompt where you can enter commands.
You can end this with the command
sudo poweroff now

Does this work?

Bernard,
What you suggest seems to make sense so I'm going to try to install version 20.04 in my Ubuntu partition.I have two partitions on MSI version E79961MS.230 and one is Windows Boot UEFI while the other is Ubuntu ST2000DM01-1ER164.What happens to the version 16.04 if I'm successful in adding 20.04? Does it overwrite 16.04 or do I have to delete 16.04 so I only have one version in the partition or is the location that 20.04 asks for actually ST2000DM01-1ER164?Sorry for all the questions but this is all new to me.
John

Manfred,
Not sure what a virtual terminal is but I do have two partitions in MSI,One is Windows Boot and the other is Ubuntu.Nothing happens when I press Ctrl+Alt+F3 so this command may be unresponsive as well.Under Administration I used to see a terminal where Sudo commands could be entered but now it won't respond. I should get this back if I manage to install version 20.04 but I'm trying to figure out how I instruct the download to build in the Ubuntu partition.Any guidance appreciated.
John

Yes it will overwrite provided you select install next to windows using the 16.04 partitions which will be one of the options on the Ubuntu 20.04 installer.

Bernard,
In the setup there is Windows Boot partition and then another that contains 2 Ubuntu boots both of which say ST2000DM001-1ER164.This probably means that one previous upgrade on Ubuntu did not overwrite the other.Will the version 20.04 overwrite them both?If it overwrites just one should I somehow delete the other so I'm left with one Windows and one Ubuntu?Both are followed by a file called SATA1:2000DM001-ER164 and two more lines that both say UEFI:Built-in EFI shell.
 John

Bernard,
That is what I'll do.Thanks.John