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Old 12-01-2008, 10:28 PM   #1
will_from_oz
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Question STILL can't edit GRUB


Hi,
I have a dual boot with vista and Ubuntu installed the GRUB boot manager. Must have, when powering up it goes to GRUB Installer and brings up the boot choices. I would like Vista to be default (it isn't)
I CANNOT edit the damn thing. Have read threads till my eyes got swollen, tried all the things such as running Gedit etc.
Trouble is, nothing seems able to find the grub file OR the grub.lst file. It keeps insisting it's not there.
Now, this was a straight install from the Ubuntu 8.04 CD, I just picked all the default or obvious choices, so why me??
If anyone can help, please do it with step by step instructions, rightly assuming that I am totally ignorant about everything.

Hoping for your help
Will_from_oz
 
Old 12-01-2008, 10:34 PM   #2
claudius753
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what about
Code:
sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
 
Old 12-02-2008, 12:43 AM   #3
will_from_oz
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Thanks for that Nathan.
However, I don't have sudo and a quick look at the website showed me I was not up to downloading, compiling etc.
If I DO have it stuck somewhere on my system, where is it likely to be, how do I access it etc.
Thanks again
Will
 
Old 12-02-2008, 12:54 AM   #4
linuxlover.chaitanya
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Every Ubuntu installation has sudo package installed by default. You need to a member of wheel group to use sudo. Add yourself to the group and you will be able to use sudo.
 
Old 12-02-2008, 12:56 AM   #5
will_from_oz
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Lightbulb

Oops, sorry. Just realised, go to terminal and execute. That works. Now haven't got a clue how to promote Vista to the default boot though.
Help again please

will_from_oz
 
Old 12-02-2008, 01:02 AM   #6
linuxlover.chaitanya
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There is an option for providing the default boot option called "default".
Just look where the entry for Vista is in menu.lst and enter the value accordingly.
If listing for Ubuntu is before Vista then you should enter the default value to 1. So it will boot to Vista rather than in Ubuntu by default.
 
Old 12-02-2008, 01:03 AM   #7
syg00
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Run this - it will give us the info to help you
Code:
grep -iE "(default|title)" /boot/grub/menu.lst
 
Old 12-02-2008, 01:05 AM   #8
billymayday
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Is there an entry that says something like "default 3"

If so, change it so that the 3 corresponds to the entry for Vista (note that numbering starts at 0).

If not, add a line before the first OS entry with "default 3" with the relevant number of course.

If you are having trouble post your menu.lst.
 
Old 12-02-2008, 01:24 AM   #9
will_from_oz
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Question running gedit

Here are the options????????? from bootlst

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-21-generic
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-21-generic root=UUID=aec004f8-9006-40c5-9a61-b75f00f93e27 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-21-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-21-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-21-generic root=UUID=aec004f8-9006-40c5-9a61-b75f00f93e27 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-21-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=UUID=aec004f8-9006-40c5-9a61-b75f00f93e27 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=UUID=aec004f8-9006-40c5-9a61-b75f00f93e27 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, memtest86+
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

Dammed if I can work out how it defaults and where the delay is set etc.
The only thing that has a 1 seems to be Longhorn
 
Old 12-02-2008, 01:28 AM   #10
billymayday
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Looks like the 6th entry is Vista, so add

default 5
timeout 5

to make it wait 5 seconds before loading the default.

These should go before the first OS entry (ie above what you've shown)
 
Old 12-02-2008, 01:41 AM   #11
will_from_oz
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Smile

Beauty!!!
Haven't quite got it yet though, selected line is the "other operating systems" one, so should I now make it default=6?????
 
Old 12-02-2008, 02:01 AM   #12
billymayday
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Try counting again (to check me) - if it's the 6th, "default 5" is the entry - count starts from 0
 
Old 12-02-2008, 02:10 AM   #13
will_from_oz
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Thumbs up success at last

Yup, 6 it is and it's working like magic.
Thanks a lot everyone for helping a newbie.
Hard to believe I started this kind of thing in 1980, designing hardware and programming in basic, 6502, 62000 and dabbling in C++
Hadn't realised how many brain cells had called it a day.

Thanks again
Will_from_oz
 
Old 12-02-2008, 03:03 AM   #14
baig
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Hi,

Yes your xp entry is on 7th and actual numbering starts from 0

default=6 is the right choice...


and make timeout=10 to at least have a look during selection.. but thats all up to your choice...


Cheers!!
 
  


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