I need help trying to add a splash image to my grub config. I know this is not very complex or essential to Linux however I would like someone to please let me know what I am doing wrong?

The file I downloaded is from http://www.gnome-look.org/content/sh...?content=36909

Here I downloaded a file called /home/carlos/Desktop/soft-tux.xpm.gz.

Now the directions state...

Installation:

Copy the file (*.xpm.gz) to e.g. /boot/grub/

Then add the following line to your /boot/grub/menu.lst:

splashimage=(hd1,0)/boot/grub/soft-tux.xpm.gz

Change the (hd1,0) if you have a different setup.

I then "cp" this file to /boot/grub and then added the suggested line to my menu.list however it did not work so I think I did something wrong. Here is my menu.list where I feel the problem is...

# 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 5

# 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
#
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,0)

## 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=

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

## ## End Default Options ##

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.15-1-686-smp
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-1-686-smp root=/dev/hda1 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-1-686-smp
#
### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/soft-tux.xpm

**Note the last line is the one I added to display the image which aint happening...**

I would comment out or remove the pretty colors part and move the splashimage line to above the menu items.
You can also remove a ton of commented lines to look something like this....

default 0
timeout 15
splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/soft-tux.xpm

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.15-1-686-smp
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-1-686-smp root=/dev/hda1 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-1-686-smp

So I can pretty much back up my old menu.list and then blow everything away except what you listed above and you think it will be ok?

Yes, backup the menu.lst first and try it.

I tried it and Grub failed to load...

It may be too late for you, but you can make testing simpler by creating a GRUB boot floppy, and making changes there 'till you get what you want to work. When it doesn't work, just eject the floppy, reboot, and try again.

I don't know why having all those commented lines should help. Does it boot with the old menu.lst ?

PTrenholme is right about using a grub boot floppy, I keep one handy all the time.

Grub support for splashimage is fairly new.
In Debian, you need to use the version of grub from the unstable tree or you might be able to patch your existing grub.
There's some information here:

http://ruslug.rutgers.edu/~mcgrof/grub-images/#3.0

Lets face the music and ask

How do we know the soft-tux.xpm work? If it doesn't then everybody is wasting his/her time here.

The answer is already suggested by PTrenholme---->can make testing simpler by creating a GRUB boot floppy

Boot up the Grub floppy and type the command line by line as
Grub will tell you which line it doesn't like.

If Grub accepts every line your system will boot.

Let Grub tell us what is wrong for a change!

It's just an image and it does work on my FC5 so, I would tend to agree with bernied that the original poster may have a version of grub that doesn't support splashimage.

Just did an investigation and found bernied and homey are correct in pointing out the version of Grub may have something to do with it.

I booted up a Grub 0.97 floppy and it hasn't got splashimage command. If the command is entered Grub responded

"Error 27 Unrecognised command"

I then booted a Grub 0.94 floppy created by FC2. splashimage is listed as part of the command set (by typing "help" in Grub prompt). The same splashimage command gives

"Error 1 : Filename must be either an absolute filename or blocklist".

I then used this floppy to load successfully the splashimage of Mandriva 2006 and FC5.

The conclusion I reached is the standard Grub does not support splashimage but those from the Red Hat and Mandrake/Mandriva families do.

The Grub 0.97 has no splashimage command in Suse 10.1 and Frugalware 4 but these two distros use "gfxmenu" instead.