[SOLVED] Grub2 Theming problem

[Snowhog]

First, not a problem with Kubuntu. I've just installed Ubuntu 11.04 (replacing my Kubuntu Lucid) in order to be able to assist my Dad with his installation. Something is a miss with the Grub2 theming. I can't get the Grub boot menu to display in the specified GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768 (in /etc/default/grub) and the specified background image. sudo update-grub reports:

Generating grub.cfg ...
Found background: /usr/share/images/grub/AngelicMoon.png
Found background image: /usr/share/images/grub/AngelicMoon.png
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
done

But with a reboot, Grub2 menu displays at 640x480, in black/white, and without the background image. Interestingly, if I select either of the other two OS entries (Kubuntu Maverick or Kubuntu Natty) - I'm multi-booting three OS's - and then select Ubuntu Maverick from those Grub2 menus, returning me back to the Ubuntu Maverick Grub2 menu, the resolution is as specified, and the background image is displayed.

What am I missing such that from the Ubuntu Maverick Grub2 menu, which is the default Grub2 (installed on /dev/sda), the gfx resolution and specified background image aren't being honored?

[MoonRise]

Re: Grub2 Theming problem

I can say they changed the code in "/etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme". It isn't as before where you could specify directly what background. I did however find that when I placed my specific background in "/boot/grub/" by itself it found it and used it. Now, I don't have any other image files there or elsewhere so I guess it had no choice to use it. I don't think there is a config tool either. I know this isn't much help but maybe a start?

[Snowhog]

Re: Grub2 Theming problem

Tried that already. My background image - AngelicMoon.png - is in /boot/grub. It's also in /usr/share/images/grub/AngelicMoon.png. The point is, update-grub is finding the specified image file. It's written to /boot/grub/grub.cfg, as well as the gfxmode resolution I want - 1024x768:

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root b2f14cc0-2ef8-42d8-a58e-dedbbf99369b
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=1024X768
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root b2f14cc0-2ef8-42d8-a58e-dedbbf99369b
insmod png
background_image -m stretch /usr/share/images/grub/AngelicMoon.png

[MoonRise]

Re: Grub2 Theming problem

The only difference I see from your's to mine is I'm using a TGA image and you have PNG. As far as I know GRUB2 is supposed to handle PNG. Can you try converting it to TGA?

[Snowhog]

Re: Grub2 Theming problem

Not required. Grub2 handles .png images just fine. I'm using .png images on my other two Kubuntu installs.

[MoonRise]

Re: Grub2 Theming problem

Hmmmm, then I'm stumped as to what is going on.

[Snowhog]

Re: Grub2 Theming problem

Figured it out.

First, the image you want to use for the Grub2 background image must be the same resolution you set gfxmode= to in /etc/default/grub.

# 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
# GRUB_GFXMODE=1024X768
GRUB_GFXMODE=1440x900

Second, and I didn't mention it, but to have custom colors for the Grub2 menu, you have to add the following two lines to /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme:

echo "set color_normal=white/black"
echo "set color_highlight=yellow/black"

and changing the 'color/color' for each to your liking. These two lines are entered in the section below:

# Step #7: Everything went fine, print out a message to stderr ...
echo "Found background image: ${1}" >&2

# ... and write our configuration snippet to stdout. Use the colors
# desktop-base specified. If we're using a user-defined background, use
# the default colors since we've got no idea how the image looks like.
# If loading the background image fails, use the default theme.
echo "insmod ${reader}"
echo "if background_image `make_system_path_relative_to_its_root "${1}"`; then"
# Start modification by pol 2011-05-01
echo "set color_normal=white/black"
echo "set color_highlight=yellow/black"
# End modification by pol 2011-05-01
if [ -n "${2}" ]; then
echo " set color_normal=${2}"
fi
if [ -n "${3}" ]; then
echo " set color_highlight=${3}"
fi
if [ -z "${2}" ] && [ -z "${3}" ]; then
echo " true"
fi
echo "else"
set_default_theme " "
echo "fi"
}

After saving the changes to both files, open a console and type:

sudo update-grub

Reboot and enjoy the beauty.

[Fintan]

Re: [SOLVED] Grub2 Theming problem

Just as a side note.

I ran into the same problem and installed:
kde-config-grub2

From there I set my boot splash.

Very nice

[MoonRise]

Re: [SOLVED] Grub2 Theming problem

Once installed where is it on the menu?

[Fintan]

Re: [SOLVED] Grub2 Theming problem

It is not.

It goes to system settings start/stop (or something, mine is german)

You can also run it from krunner (alt+F2)->grub2

[ubuntuku]

Re: [SOLVED] Grub2 Theming problem

Just as a side note.

I ran into the same problem and installed:
kde-config-grub2

From there I set my boot splash.

Very nice

Yep, very nice! Thanks for posting this

[Fintan]

Re: [SOLVED] Grub2 Theming problem

Your welcome

enjoy