Hide OS

hyapadi · 08-10-2008, 08:33 AM

I'm planning to dual boot Linux and Windows XP / Vista.

My question is, is there anyway to hide the option to boot to Windows? and unhide it again when I want to use the windows?

The objective:
- to hide windows, so that the only visible things is Linux.

I have a thought that this might be done with some settings in boot loader ( grub or lilo ). But I have completely no idea how to do it.

Thanks

amani · 08-10-2008, 09:46 AM

You can remove the windows entry in the bootloader (grub) config files. Edit /boot/grub/grub.conf or menu.lst for that.

So only Linux things will be visible. To boot anything else, press 'c' and do

#root (hd0,0)
#chainloader +1
#boot

saikee · 08-10-2008, 02:04 PM

Perhaps the easiest way is to use the menu system.

One Master menu (menu.lst) to boot either Menu A (menu-A.lst) or Menu B (menu-B.lst)

Menu A to boot Windows

Menu B to boot Linux.

I have done it with a menu C too that boots BSD and Solaris. My menu A has 3 Dos and 5 Windows. Menu B has 100+ Linux.

menu.lst should look like

Code:

title menu-A.lst
root (hdi,j)
configfile /boot/grub/menu-A.lst

title menu-B.lst
root (hdi,j)
configfile /boot/grub/menu-B.lst

menu.lst, menu-A.lst and menu-B.lst all stored in /boot/grub directory of partition specified by (hdi,j).

J.W. · 08-11-2008, 08:30 PM

I'm not sure there's any real reason to "hide" Windows if you plan to actually use it on occasion. Just make Linux the default, and your system will always boot into Linux unless you specifically choose Windows

syg00 · 08-11-2008, 08:33 PM

Put a blank title line in - only you will know it is selectable ...

pixellany · 08-11-2008, 08:36 PM

Or make Linux the default and hide the boot menu ("hiddenmenu" option in menu.lst)

hyapadi · 08-12-2008, 10:41 AM

I'll tried the solutions given.

Thanks for the replies

ciden · 08-12-2008, 11:54 AM

Pray, tell me what is the reason for doing this?

If it is really important maybe others can also do this.

userlander · 08-12-2008, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

Or make Linux the default and hide the boot menu ("hiddenmenu" option in menu.lst)

Can you make it visible before it boots with that method, like with an F key? I might like to implement this for some of my users who at the first sign of frustration reboot into windoze. I'm trying to get them off that habit.