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Re: alt during boot up = GRUB
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:33 pm
by 67GTA
You can read /boot/grub/menu.lst for options. You can set the default OS to boot, and set grub to be hidden unless you hit ESC. If the grub file is too confusing, post back and I'll help you sort it out.
Re: alt during boot up = GRUB
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:14 pm
by 67GTA
It would probably be easier to go by line number. There is a lot of stuff in that file. Open gedit, go to edit, preferences, and select "Display Line Numbers". Then open a terminal and run
This will open the menu.lst file as administrator so we can edit it. Line 14 is where you put the default OS number. Grub starts counting at zero instead of 1, so count all of the menu entries at the bottom of the page (first entry is zero) and then change "0" on line 14 to the number you want to default to. Line 19 is the amount of seconds before the default OS boots. This will determine how many seconds you have to hit ESC to see the grub menu. Line 23 is where you set the hidden option. Remove the comment (#)to have it hidden. Lines with a comment (#) are not read. Save the file and reboot. If you choose to hide the grub menu, it will show a counter to countdown the seconds set at line 19 before the default OS boots. You can play with the settings, but you shouldn't change any of the menu entries unless you know what you are doing.
Re: alt during boot up = GRUB
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:58 pm
by 67GTA
Mint may have changed their grub file. I'm on Ubuntu right now. Here is my first 23 lines.
Code: Select all
# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.
## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0
## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 3
## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
hiddenmenu