EOS7.1 Black screen after installing updates on fresh install.

[SiliconVoid]

I have an older Sony VAIO laptop with a Nvidia 230M chip. Obviously running the nouveau driver.
After a fresh install of EOS everything is working fine.. As normal, after a few minutes, the system will show that there are updates available (391 system components, 10 runtime, 9 apps) and I cannot see any that would be relevant to graphics or display other than some Mesa updates (aren't those for AMD gpu?) and some xserver updates, but no video drivers.
When I select to update all, everything downloads and installs, I get the button to reboot - reboot and see progress bar screen - reboot again and then no display at all after grub. The system appears to boot (based on drive access).. and after a bit I can hit enter, blindly enter my password, and get more hard drive access like normal and then the system just sits there with black screen, no cursor nothing.
As there were no nvidia drivers listed I'm guessing the nouveau driver is still being loaded - but what would now be causing the black screen? Do I need to roll back the xserver updates, delete mesa? I do not know how anything can be diagnosed from here without being able to see anything.