Unable to get grub menu to show

williepabon · 11-11-2020, 11:29 AM

Hi!:

Recently upgraded from Ubuntu 18.04 to 20.04. Everything has been working OK except that I'm not able to make the grub menu to appear. I've tried hitting ESC, SHIFT keys when booting without success. Is there now a new way in Ubuntu 20.04 to make the grub menu to show? Following, the information about my system:

Code:

williepabon@williepabon-Macmini:~$ uname -a
Linux williepabon-Macmini 5.4.0-52-generic #57-Ubuntu SMP Thu Oct 15 10:57:00 UTC 2020 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
williepabon@williepabon-Macmini:~$
williepabon@williepabon-Macmini:~$ lsb_release -crid
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS
Release: 20.04
Codename: focal

Thanks for the help.

jamison20000e · 11-11-2020, 03:45 PM

So computer starts but doesn't show the main grub screen to select likely Ubuntu and/or rescue mode? Instead just boots straight to your operating system?

From a terminal you could try:

Code:

sudo update-grub

then reboot.

Otherwise checking your /etc directories for all the proper grub settings?

colorpurple21859 · 11-11-2020, 04:00 PM

post the contents of /etc/default/grub

williepabon · 11-11-2020, 10:00 PM

colorpurple21859:

Thanks for answering. Following, the information requested:

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=menu
GRUB_TIMEOUT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=false
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

# Uncomment to enable BadRAM filtering, modify to suit your needs
# This works with Linux (no patch required) and with any kernel that obtains
# the memory map information from GRUB (GNU Mach, kernel of FreeBSD ...)
#GRUB_BADRAM="0x01234567,0xfefefefe,0x89abcdef,0xefefefef"

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)
#GRUB_TERMINAL=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'
#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries
#GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY="true"

# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start
#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"

Hope it helps.

jamison20000e · 11-12-2020, 12:47 AM

What happened when you ran update-grub?

Add: I don't have a box to play with, for testing but I know your settings like GRUB_TIMEOUT=0 can be set in seconds to say 15, (e.g.:)

Code:

sudo vi /etc/default/grub

then update-grub but quiet splash may have something to say there lol

Example https://ostechnix.com/configure-grub...-ubuntu-16-04/

kareempharmacist · 11-12-2020, 04:32 AM

it is much easier to use nano instead of vi to edit /etc/default/grub

Code:

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

colorpurple21859 · 11-12-2020, 06:14 AM

set

Code:

GRUB_TIMEOUT=

to 5, that is more than enough to see menu before it boots. Then run

Code:

sudo update-grub

williepabon · 11-12-2020, 07:13 PM

colorpurple21859:

Quote:

set
Code:

GRUB_TIMEOUT=

to 5, that is more than enough to see menu before it boots. Then run
Code:

sudo update-grub

I've tried your suggestion above, but still the menu doesn't show. Still looking for other possibilities to try. Thanks.

jamison20000e · 11-12-2020, 08:19 PM

My grub default config only shows quiet not quiet splash

jamison20000e · 11-12-2020, 08:28 PM

Add: but, also didn't dive into that link I gave or

Code:

man grub

or do I have: GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu, &c...

colorpurple21859 · 11-12-2020, 09:19 PM

change this

Code:

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu
GRUB_TIMEOUT=5

to this

Code:

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
#GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu
GRUB_TIMEOUT=5

and this

Code:

#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

to this

Code:

GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768

Code:

sudo update-grub

nutronix · 01-28-2021, 07:39 AM

after install a few months ago(20.04) i had a similar issue, Ubuntu on the same drive as Windows,i hit F9 repeatedly at startup, and bingo ,i had the choice to boot to sata-1, grub appeared and voilà, i am not sure if this is related to your problem, i am not an expert, but if it could help.

vmelkon · 02-02-2021, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nutronix

after install a few months ago(20.04) i had a similar issue, Ubuntu on the same drive as Windows,i hit F9 repeatedly at startup, and bingo ,i had the choice to boot to sata-1, grub appeared and voilà, i am not sure if this is related to your problem, i am not an expert, but if it could help.

That's the way I prefer it. In my case, it is F11. It depends on the BIOS.
I have Windows and Linux on separate HDD.
To install Linux, I disconnect the Windows HDD and plug in only the Linux HDD and I install Linux onto it.
Once finished, I shutdown, I plug both HDDs.
I just don't want Linux touching the Windows HDD MBR.

~~~~vmelkon