Following the instructions on https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FedUp#How_Can_I_Upgrade_My_System_with_FedUp.3F I upgraded my ThinkPad X201s from Fedora 17 to Fedora 18. No errors were reported during the upgrade process. When I boot the notebook using the Fedora 18 kernel, I only get garbage on the display (see attached photos). When I boot the notebook using the latest Fedora 17 kernel the graphics are fine. However, the desktop feels a lot slower than before and the mouse pointer flickers and sometimes disappears completely.
Created attachment 680109 [details] grub2 kernel selection screen
Created attachment 680110 [details] (error) messages displayed after selecting Fedora 18 kernel
Created attachment 680111 [details] encryption password entry screen
Created attachment 680112 [details] maybe the login screen?
The desktop problems I described earlier are because X uses the wrong graphics driver (Gallium instead if Intel). The workaround described in https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel/+bug/1074779 worked for me as well. As far as I can tell so far, I now have at least a working desktop environment when booting using the old Fedora 17 kernel.
I had similar problems after upgrading from Fedora 17 on an HP EliteBook 2540p using fedup: garbage on the display, and at some point (can't tell where because can't see anything) it freezes up and I have to hit the power button. I had to drop back to an F17 kernel too. After following a link to bug 896579 I tried installing kernel-3.7.2-204.fc18.x86_64 from the updates-testing repository, and my machine now boots OK. I still see the warnings about KEYTABLE and SYSFONT briefly during the boot. What I did: yum --enablerepo=updates-testing update kernel So hopefully this will be solved when the newer kernel makes it to the production repository.
I updated to that kernel, too, now and the problem is gone. Thanks!
-204 is in stable now. Thanks for reporting.