Re: update-grub doesn't seem to enter new kernel into menu.lst
The fact that this thread is still going is probably deceptive. There was a specific problem with the upgrading process at one point when a new version of grub was installed, for some people, but update-grub usually works flawlessly. This thread might cause people to think that is not true so I wanted to express that clearly.
For a multiple boot linux system the process I find best is to install grub to the MBR from one linux system and point it to the various partitions that have grub installed for the other systems. For instance my laptop has one disk /dev/sda with the following partitions
Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 7613MB 7612MB primary ntfs
2 7617MB 71.9GB 64.3GB primary ntfs boot
3 71.9GB 250GB 178GB extended
7 71.9GB 81.9GB 10.0GB logical ext3
8 81.9GB 92.0GB 10.1GB logical ext3
9 92.0GB 105GB 12.6GB logical ext3
5 136GB 138GB 2040MB logical linux-swap(new)
6 138GB 250GB 112GB logical ext3
The OS's installed are
1 Windows Restore
2 Windows Vista
7 Debian
8 Kubuntu Karmic
9 sidux
The Debian installation controls the MBR, and Kubuntu and sidux have grub installed in their partitions. The menu.lst file from Debian includes an entry for the menu.lst file of each of the other grub installations so each linux installation updates its own grub system and I never have to edit menu.lst, unless an error occurs. Such errors are very infrequent but not unheard of.
The following is the menu.lst file from my Debian installation that points to the other installations
************************************************** **********************************************
default 0
timeout 5
color cyan/blue white/blue
### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below
## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs
# kopt=root=/dev/sda7 ro
# groot=(hd0,6)
# alternative=true
# lockalternative=false
# defoptions=quiet
# lockold=false
# xenhopt=
# xenkopt=console=tty0
# altoptions=(single-user mode) single
# howmany=all
# memtest86=true
# updatedefaultentry=false
# savedefault=false
## ## End Default Options ##
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.30-1-amd64
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.30-1-amd64 root=/dev/sda7 ro quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.30-1-amd64
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.30-1-amd64 (single-user mode)
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.30-1-amd64 root=/dev/sda7 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.30-1-amd64
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.29-2-amd64
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.29-2-amd64 root=/dev/sda7 ro quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.29-2-amd64
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.29-2-amd64 (single-user mode)
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.29-2-amd64 root=/dev/sda7 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.29-2-amd64
### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
# recovery partition commented by FRL
#title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
#root (hd0,0)
#savedefault
#makeactive
#chainloader +1
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1
title Kubuntu Karmic Koala
configfile (hd0,7)/boot/grub/menu.lst
title Sidux
configfile (hd0,8)/boot/grub/menu.lst
************************************************** ************************************************
Note that this is a standard Debian menu.lst file, created by the installation, except for the entries for Kubuntu and sidux. All I did was add those entries. Kubuntu's is similar enough to ignore the differences. I find that this allows me to conveniently boot what I want with very little fuss.
The fact that this thread is still going is probably deceptive. There was a specific problem with the upgrading process at one point when a new version of grub was installed, for some people, but update-grub usually works flawlessly. This thread might cause people to think that is not true so I wanted to express that clearly.
For a multiple boot linux system the process I find best is to install grub to the MBR from one linux system and point it to the various partitions that have grub installed for the other systems. For instance my laptop has one disk /dev/sda with the following partitions
Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 7613MB 7612MB primary ntfs
2 7617MB 71.9GB 64.3GB primary ntfs boot
3 71.9GB 250GB 178GB extended
7 71.9GB 81.9GB 10.0GB logical ext3
8 81.9GB 92.0GB 10.1GB logical ext3
9 92.0GB 105GB 12.6GB logical ext3
5 136GB 138GB 2040MB logical linux-swap(new)
6 138GB 250GB 112GB logical ext3
The OS's installed are
1 Windows Restore
2 Windows Vista
7 Debian
8 Kubuntu Karmic
9 sidux
The Debian installation controls the MBR, and Kubuntu and sidux have grub installed in their partitions. The menu.lst file from Debian includes an entry for the menu.lst file of each of the other grub installations so each linux installation updates its own grub system and I never have to edit menu.lst, unless an error occurs. Such errors are very infrequent but not unheard of.
The following is the menu.lst file from my Debian installation that points to the other installations************************************************** **********************************************
default 0
timeout 5
color cyan/blue white/blue
### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below
## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs
# kopt=root=/dev/sda7 ro
# groot=(hd0,6)
# alternative=true
# lockalternative=false
# defoptions=quiet
# lockold=false
# xenhopt=
# xenkopt=console=tty0
# altoptions=(single-user mode) single
# howmany=all
# memtest86=true
# updatedefaultentry=false
# savedefault=false
## ## End Default Options ##
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.30-1-amd64
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.30-1-amd64 root=/dev/sda7 ro quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.30-1-amd64
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.30-1-amd64 (single-user mode)
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.30-1-amd64 root=/dev/sda7 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.30-1-amd64
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.29-2-amd64
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.29-2-amd64 root=/dev/sda7 ro quiet
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.29-2-amd64
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.29-2-amd64 (single-user mode)
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.29-2-amd64 root=/dev/sda7 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.29-2-amd64
### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
# recovery partition commented by FRL
#title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
#root (hd0,0)
#savedefault
#makeactive
#chainloader +1
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1
title Kubuntu Karmic Koala
configfile (hd0,7)/boot/grub/menu.lst
title Sidux
configfile (hd0,8)/boot/grub/menu.lst
************************************************** ************************************************
Note that this is a standard Debian menu.lst file, created by the installation, except for the entries for Kubuntu and sidux. All I did was add those entries. Kubuntu's is similar enough to ignore the differences. I find that this allows me to conveniently boot what I want with very little fuss.
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