Boot order troubles
 

Hello. I installed openSUSE on my pc yesterday alongside windows but am struggling to change it so windows xp is the default.

I tried editing /boot/grub/menu.lst but it would not let me into the file. It said Permission Denied. It also did this when I went in as root.

Please help!

Click terminal

Type "su", supply the root password

then type
You can do it in the desktop but it is OK from the terminal, which gives you the same thing.

Permission Denied means that you don't have permissions for what you are trying to do. A normal user is restricted from system files for obvious security reasons.

As mentioned above, you have to su to root to have permission to access system files. He told you how, but I thought it would help to know why as well.

Also, the instructions above assume you are running KDE, but if you're running Gnome you won't have Kwrite installed. In that case the command, after su to root, would be

You may also use YaST and then click on "system" in the left panel then click on "Boot Loader" in the right panel. Now click the up or down arrows to the right side of panel and high light the one you want to open as default and then click on button near bottom right "Set as default". Click "Finish" and it should be changed the next time you boot.

do you have set the writable flag of file

`ls -l /boot/grub/menu.lst`
`chmod 644 /boot/grub/menu.lst`

menu.lst is meant to be configurable by the root user.

Never have to do anything to edit it once in root.

Hi,

A good explanation as to why the normal user is not allowed to have access for security reasons.

I prefer from the cli as root;

That way you don't have to worry about gnome or kde. I won't get into the lilo vs grub issues.

I agree but someone asking such a question is probably a newbie and thus is likely not familiar with vi. My personal preference is mcedit but didn't want to go there either LOL

Not to be critical of anyone but I think my explanation above is best for a newbie using Suse. I will agree that it does not help him down the road with any other grub boot distros but it gives him gui interface to make his adjustments and the YaST in the later Suse distros works.

Thanks for your help. I managed to fix the boot order using the kwrite command.

Thanks for letting us know that you solved your problem and how. As you can see there are usually two or many ways to accomplish a task in linux that will work. Some ways work easier than others for certain people.

From a root terminal invoking "kwrite" in KDE or "gedit" in Gnome desktop is pretty universal nowadays. One can use it almost in any Linux that has such desktop. Xfce also has its own graphic editor fired up in the same way.

I am in Solaris now and "gedit" works as expected in its Gnome environment.

I fire up "vi" only when no graphic editor is available.

Hi,

My point! You will find 'vi' on any system. You don't need a GUI. Just the cli will do.

My point exactly, this is supposedly a "newbie" and I was trying to make the easiest way. A newbie coming from the other "os" may find it easier if everything is graphical.

Hi,
Spoon feeding doesn't always help! Cookbooks assume that you know something about hardware. pans, spoon or whatever. Linux is no different. The newbie needs to do a little work on their part. A GUI is not always as intuitive as everyone thinks. Heck most Internet user know about Google but does that mean they use it when they have a problem. No! Post it, I might have to think. Let someone else. Service Society, BULL!

onebuck I understand where you are coming from, do you cook over an open camp fire and in an oven made from rock and mud? Some people think that newbies should start with LFS with no GUI and pass a certification test before using.

Hi,

Yes I do! Really use a cowboy grill and a oven.

But, I agree that a newbie would use a GUI easier than a command line. Some should learn to use something other than a mouse pointer. That's the window mindset talking. GUIs' have their place but they are not always the best way to configure or use a system.
I never said anything about using LFS nor certification. Get off the M$ bandwagon.

I really think that too many people jump without doing any research of any kind. This service society set is getting ridiculous!

I rather leave the user to make up his/her mind.

Just put terminal editor like "vi" or a "gedit" or "kwrite" fired up from a root console on the table for he/she to choose from.

Only after learning to use both then one can draw a sensible conclusion.

I kind like to use both.