How do I enable the GRUB menu on a dual boot startup, without admin rights?

ThatNewGuy · 02-16-2024, 12:51 PM

I set the grub timer to 0 from Linux, to make it automatically go to the selected OS without displaying the menu, but it was accidentally set to Windows. I do not have admin privileges in Windows or the BIOS, I do have them in the now inaccessible Linux, though. How can I boot to Linux? Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I am locked out of everything right now. Thank you.

beachboy2 · 02-16-2024, 01:38 PM

ThatNewGuy,

Welcome to LQ forums.

If the BIOS selects Windows to run first by default, restart your PC then access the Boot options tab in your BIOS to select Linux/Ubuntu to run first.

Keep tapping the F12 key (or whatever key is required for access to UEFI BIOS) right after your PC boots.

After Linux/Ubuntu is booted successfully, update the GRUB config file which is /etc/default/grub

Open a Terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T) and enter these commands, separately:

Code:

sudo apt install gedit

    sudo gedit /etc/default/grub

The file should look like this by default:

Code:

# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update
    # /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
    # For full documentation of the options in this file, see:
    #   info -f grub -n 'Simple configuration'

    GRUB_DEFAULT=0
    GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden
    GRUB_TIMEOUT=0
    GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
    GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
    GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

Update the value of GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE from hidden to menu.

Next, if the value of GRUB_TIMEOUT is equal to 0, change it to any number (say, 6).

Click on Save.

Close the file.

Then update the GRUB config file:

Code:

   sudo update-grub

yancek · 02-16-2024, 01:42 PM

Why can't you access the BIOS on boot? Is the BIOS password protected? If so, how did you manage to install whatever Linux you have? You would have needed to access the BIOS to change the boot order to boot from the media you used to install. Do you know which version of windows is on the computer? Do you know if it an EFI install, both windows and Linux? If so, you should also be able to select windows that way.