how to edit boot sequence in MBR

LoyalSoldier · 02-27-2005, 05:20 PM

By default MDK loads after 10 seconds. My wife isn't as computer savy as I am and so to make it easier for her how do I edit that sequence to make winXP be the default OS to load?

acid_kewpie · 02-27-2005, 05:25 PM

depends what bootloader you're using. if it's lilo, edit /etc/lilo.conf and then, as root, run "lilo" to udate the MBR> if it's grub, just edit /boot/grub/grub.conf (or menu.lst) to relfect what you want to change.

LoyalSoldier · 02-27-2005, 05:40 PM

How do I log on as root? I only get 2 options to log on with - me and my wife.

Oh, somehow it started loading in verbose mode. How do I exit that and get back to it logging in with the default KDE 3.3 desktop?

Thank you.

DeusExLinux · 02-28-2005, 12:16 AM

with KDE 3.3 you can't log in as root, by default. I wouldn't recommend doing it either.

If you are using Grub (which I hope you are,... I like it more), open a console and type

Then type:

su

hit enter

then type your root password

hit enter

Code:

chris@3[~]$ su
Password:
root@3[chris]#

You can then run any prgram you want from the console. Fire up your favorite editor and edit either the /boot/grub/menu.lst or whatever Lilo uses (I think there might be a lilo.conf, if i'm not mistaken)

it will have something that says default=X, where X is a number. You can change the number to whatever number in the list your windows partition, starting with 0. So say you had three entires, with windows as your last it would be Default=2. If you want to use the bootsplash, instead of verbose, you're gonna have to change the bootspalsh kernel option (after it lists the kernel image and whatnot) to whatever your bootsplash path is.

as an example, here is mine.....

Code:

default 1
timeout 15
splashimage /boot/grub/mepis.xpm.gz

title MEPIS at hda1, kernel 2.6.10
	root (hd0,0)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10 root=/dev/hda1 nomce psmouse.proto=imps quiet splash=verbose vga=791 acpi=on
	initrd /boot/initrd.mepis

title MEPIS at hda1, kernel 2.6.7
	root (hd0,0)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.7 root=/dev/hda1 nomce psmouse.proto=imps quiet splash=verbose vga=791 acpi=on
	initrd /boot/initrd.mepis

title Ubuntu
	root (hd0,3)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8.1-3-386 root=/dev/hda4 splash=verbose vga=791 acpi=on
	initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8.1-3-386

As you can see, I have my bootsplash set to verbose, but if i wanted to change it back, I would put silent (I think that works...)

LoyalSoldier · 02-28-2005, 02:49 AM

Thanks guys. I was able to figure this out on my own (both manually editing lilo.conf and using graphical interface to redo the bootloader) while waiting for replys.

Thanks.

DeusExLinux · 02-28-2005, 09:23 AM

isn't that the best, when you figure things out on your own... I love that feeling!

what gui did you use to edit the boot menu? the drak tool?

LoyalSoldier · 02-28-2005, 10:54 AM

I don't remember the name for it, but I found it by going to the taskbar start button (dont know what the counterpart of Microsoft's Start button is called for MDK), then System\Configure\Configure your system, and then the Boot item on the left panel.

DeusExLinux · 02-28-2005, 11:33 AM

ahh, yeah, its in Mandrake's config utilities... thought it might have been something else, but i forgot about that program.. I've gotten used to doing things through the text file config file (seems to be easer after you get used to it).

Also, it's called the K-Menu if you use KDE...

LoyalSoldier · 02-28-2005, 01:52 PM

Oh yea...K-Menu. I remember seeing that somewhere now.

Thanks.