I can't quite figure out why, but the answer seems to be "occasionally". I was able to reboot a few times (2 out of maybe 30?) using the complete list of reboot= options. However, I suspect making the reboot= changes is a red herring -- I rebooted the machine more in the past few hours than I have in the rest of the time I've owned it. It's entirely possible that I would have gotten similarly lucky had I kept trying to reboot over and over again without making the reboot= changes.
** Changed in: systemd (Ubuntu) Status: Incomplete => Confirmed -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to systemd in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1619844 Title: [Xenial] shutdown/reboot hangs at "Reached target Shutdown" Status in systemd package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Bug description: I tried getting more information in the debug-shell but I was unsuccessful in doing so. I was able to switch to the debug shell via ctrl+alt+f9 but I couldn't actually type anything in. I could switch back to the stuck shutdown screen via ctrl+alt+f1, and hitting NumLock would turn the light on my keyboard on and off, but I couldn't do anything else. I captured a journal of the stuck reboot. Interestingly, the journal shows a few more lines after "Reached target Shutdown", which is as far as I get on my screen. This system was installed with Xenial 16.04.1 (never been upgraded) and has had this problem since the very first boot. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04 Package: systemd 229-4ubuntu7 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-36.55-generic 4.4.16 Uname: Linux 4.4.0-36-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1 Architecture: amd64 Date: Sat Sep 3 00:33:19 2016 InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-08-17 (16 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 16.04.1 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160719) Lsusb: Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub ProcEnviron: SHELL=/bin/bash TERM=xterm PATH=(custom, no user) LANG=en_US.UTF-8 ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-36-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=5f709fed-48c9-4830-87be-acd13f263eb1 ro SourcePackage: systemd SystemdDelta: [EXTENDED] /lib/systemd/system/systemd-timesyncd.service → /lib/systemd/system/systemd-timesyncd.service.d/disable-with-time-daemon.conf [EXTENDED] /lib/systemd/system/rc-local.service → /lib/systemd/system/rc-local.service.d/debian.conf [EXTENDED] /lib/systemd/system/mariadb.service → /etc/systemd/system/mariadb.service.d/migrated-from-my.cnf-settings.conf 3 overridden configuration files found. UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) dmi.bios.date: 06/03/2016 dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc. dmi.bios.version: KYSKLi70.86A.0037.2016.0603.1032 dmi.board.name: NUC6i7KYB dmi.board.vendor: Intel Corporation dmi.board.version: H90766-404 dmi.chassis.type: 3 dmi.chassis.vendor: Intel Corporation dmi.chassis.version: 1.0 dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrKYSKLi70.86A.0037.2016.0603.1032:bd06/03/2016:svn:pn:pvr:rvnIntelCorporation:rnNUC6i7KYB:rvrH90766-404:cvnIntelCorporation:ct3:cvr1.0: To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/systemd/+bug/1619844/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp