Linux Mint X-Server; Fatal error: no screens found (EE)

Tested on: Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa

Symptom: Linux Mint fails to start the X server (your graphical interface), possibly after Update Manager completed or after:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

or

sudo aptitude update
sudo aptitude full-upgrade

You are presented with a blue screen with an Xorg message that advises reviewing the file:

/var/log/Xorg.0.log

Within it you see an error like:

Fatal server error:
[    31.049] (EE) no screens found(EE) 

Solution: The following steps brought the webserver back.

sudo apt-get remove xserver-xorg*
sudo apt-get install libgl1-mesa-dev-lts-vivid
sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg
sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg-conf

Note: It is possible that you will not be able to login with your credentials, login to a terminal by selecting CTRL - ALT - F1.

Desktop

sudo apt-get install --reinstall mint-meta-<desktop name>

or

sudo aptitude reinstall mint-meta-<desktop name>

where <desktop name> is: cinnamon || kde || mate || xfce

mint-meta-cinnamon    - Set of packages installed by default in the Cinnamon edition of Linux Mint              
mint-meta-kde         - All the packages installed by default in the KDE Edition of Linux Mint                  
mint-meta-mate        - Set of packages required to run MATE                                                    
mint-meta-xfce        - Set of packages required to run Xfce