Default Boot Parameters in GRUB?

JoshArldt · 01-28-2006, 06:00 AM

I am wondering if there is a way to set default boot parameters for SUSE Linux 10.0 in GRUB. So that way I won't have to type out my boot parameters each time I want to boot.

saikee · 01-28-2006, 06:03 AM

Isn't that is what /boot/grub/menu.lst was created for?

JoshArldt · 01-28-2006, 06:17 AM

Thanks. I haven't used GRUB before.

saikee · 01-28-2006, 07:53 AM

You edit /boot/grub/menu.lst to control Grub.

This is an example of /boot/grub/menu.lst that boots 100+ systems

Vulpus · 01-28-2006, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshArldt

Thanks. I haven't used GRUB before.

You can set the GRUB parameters using the control panel in SUSE. This will allow you to use a graphical interface whre you can set the default boot option and other options.

EDIT: Actually it is the Control Centre (not panel) and it is the YaST one you want I think, not the KDE one. Confused?

saikee · 01-28-2006, 08:35 AM

If you learn to edit /boot/grub/menu.lst you can survive in any Linux that uses Grub.

Yast is Suse-only and the majority of other distros has no graphic interface to modify Grub.

To me the magic of Linux is to be able to boot every PC system manually by just a Grub prompt. The manual instructions needed, for any Dos, Windows, Linux, BSD and Solaris, are those to be used in /boot/grub/menu.lst

KimVette · 01-28-2006, 09:50 AM

Here is my menu.lst:

Code:

# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Sat Dec 10 19:57:41 EST 2005

color white/blue black/light-gray
default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd1,0)/boot/message

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title SUSE LINUX 10.0
    root (hd1,0)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hdb1 vga=0x31a selinux=0    resume=/dev/hdb2  splash=silent showopts
    initrd /boot/initrd

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title SUSE LINUX 10.0 - customKernel
    root (hd1,0)
    kernel /boot/customLinux root=/dev/hdb1 vga=0x31a selinux=0    resume=/dev/hdb2  splash=silent showopts
    initrd /boot/customInitrd

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
    chainloader (hd0,0)+1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
    chainloader (fd0)+1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- SUSE LINUX 10.0
    root (hd1,0)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hdb1 vga=normal showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume selinux=0 nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 edd=off 3
    initrd /boot/initrd

Now, let's review some key elements step by step (for one configuration) - I will comment each line

Code:

#This line defines the colors used in the grub menu/splash screen

color white/blue black/light-gray

#This tells Grub to make the FIRST (counting from zero) configuration to be the default selection for unattended booting
default 0

#This tells Grub how long to wait for user intervention before automagically selecting the default boot configuration
timeout 8

#This tells Grub what to say on the screen - extra text, if you will.
gfxmenu (hd1,0)/boot/message

#This tells Grub what the display name of the configuration is, from the user's perspective
title SUSE LINUX 10.0

#This tells Grub where the root partition is for this configuration
    root (hd1,0)

#This specifies which kernel to use, tells the kernel where root is, and passes on additional kernel options. This is where you want to specify all of your kernel arguments
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hdb1 vga=0x31a selinux=0    resume=/dev/hdb2  splash=silent showopts

#And, if you use initrd, this is where it is specified
    initrd /boot/initrd

saikee · 01-28-2006, 10:38 AM

kimvette,

Good description!

Keruskerfuerst · 01-28-2006, 12:16 PM

You can also read through the doc of grub:
http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub.html

Vulpus · 01-30-2006, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saikee

If you learn to edit /boot/grub/menu.lst you can survive in any Linux that uses Grub.

Yast is Suse-only and the majority of other distros has no graphic interface to modify Grub.

To me the magic of Linux is to be able to boot every PC system manually by just a Grub prompt. The manual instructions needed, for any Dos, Windows, Linux, BSD and Solaris, are those to be used in /boot/grub/menu.lst

You make a very good point, if I had started with the luxury of a GUI for Grub then having to do it manually in the likes of Ubuntu would have come as quite a shock.

However, the reality is that most people do not want to get their hands dirty with command lines and text editors. They want an operating system that is easy to use and allows them to use their PC. I think SUSE 10 is aimed at a whole new generation of Linux users who can use it and never even open a terminal window.

Most PC users are not going to be constantly installing and uninstalling different distros (unlike me who has tried three in the past week)so they will only ever want to edit their Grub menu once. So if there is an easy way to do it then use that.