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Old 08-27-2007, 05:59 AM   #1
ussr_1991
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Singapore
Distribution: Windows 7 / 8.1, Fedora 21, OSX 10.10
Posts: 26

Rep: Reputation: 15
How to set Grub not to auto boot any OS without Grub Boot menu shown


After I installed Ubuntu Dapper by Live CD, I almost could not get into my Windows XP Professional. Then I attempted to add in and success.However, I must press Esc button before I could select Windows XP to boot. I use both OS almost same frequency and I wish to see the OS select menu without pressing Esc. How should I do for such thing to happen?
Note:I heard other people system that not required to press Esc to have a Grub Menu shown. Why can't mine?
 
Old 08-27-2007, 06:30 AM   #2
teek
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Registered: Jun 2004
Location: The Netherlands; Dordrecht
Distribution: Arch (at the moment)
Posts: 110

Rep: Reputation: 16
Edit the line

timeout=XX

in

/boot/grub/grub.conf

and set it to a high number (XX is the time in seconds... I think there should be a way to get it to never automatically boot but I don't know how, setting it to 3600 should be enough ).

By the way, this was already discussed here:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=398551

Good luck!
 
Old 09-01-2007, 08:36 AM   #3
ussr_1991
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Singapore
Distribution: Windows 7 / 8.1, Fedora 21, OSX 10.10
Posts: 26

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Smile Thank you but I had found another way to solve to show menu at all times .

Quote:
Originally Posted by teek
Edit the line

timeout=XX

in

/boot/grub/grub.conf

and set it to a high number (XX is the time in seconds... I think there should be a way to get it to never automatically boot but I don't know how, setting it to 3600 should be enough ).
Too bad that grub.conf does not exist.
However, menu.lst in /boot/grub (Full location is /boot/grub/menu.lst of course!)can also do the same motive and add Windows onto the list.
This is done by
Quote:
# 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 change this entry to 'saved' 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 60

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
unhiddenmenu


# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1

#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=13888552-3787-4528-ace4-4e697abe784a ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,2)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-16-386
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-386 root=UUID=13888552-3787-4528-ace4-4e697abe784a ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-386
savedefault


title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin

title Windows XP Professional
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
Where to edit the one in bold to unhidden the menu (To show the menu always without pressing Esc button!) and copy the one in Orange to paste in the one in Yellow Green location shown where the title in the Yellow Green location may change accordingly to the Windows that you are using like changing from # title Windows 95/98/NT/2000 shown above into
title Windows XP Professional

or even title Windows Millennium, or title Windows XP Home or even title Windows Vista Ultimate , depending on each scenario!!.Note: The part shown in red has to be changed on case by case basis. If you are using the first or only 1 hard disk and first partition for Windows SYSTEM, Not any personal files formatted in FAT32/NTFS etc , it should be in (hd0,0) if it is the first hard disk, second partition, it should be (hd0,1) and if it is the second hard disk , first partition , it should be in (hd1,0) etc depending on which configuration you had made.

Last edited by ussr_1991; 09-01-2007 at 08:45 AM.
 
  


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