Entering and using the boot menu -- without a screen?

[ComradeBrendan]

Hello,

I'm trying to install Linux Mint 14 to replace my current Linux Mint 9 installation. I've had no difficulties creating a startup disk (actually a USB flashdrive). The problem arises when I make an attempt to boot from the flash drive. You see, I am using a laptop with a damaged screen, so the only screen is an external computer monitor plugged into it. Since the computer monitor doesn't turn on until after my current installation begins booting, I am unable to see what I'm doing, making access to changing boot order well-nigh impossible.

Suggestions?

Brendan

[grimdestripador]

For simplicity, I would pull the hard drive, connect it to some SATA->USB converter, then edit those /boot/grub files.
Which makes me think. Why can't you just edit them when the comptuer turns on with the monitor. What i'm talking about is setting the default boot item on the HD, rather than selecting each time at boot.

[ComradeBrendan]

Being a nearly total Linux novice, I managed to set recovery mode as my default boot mode using startup manager. I presume fixing this is my first priority.... How do I go about doing this while stuck in boot mode?

[grimdestripador]

Boot from Linux Mint on a live CD or USB.

Mount your hard drive by click on the side pane in nautilus or just somehow mount the hard drive.

Open the folder /boot/grub which in this case will be like /media/disk/boot/grub

Edit eh grub.cfg file. Near the 13th line, I see the command: set default="0"
you probally want to change.