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**lmilano** · Feb 24, 2010, 07:27 AM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

I am not sure updating grub (changing the bootloader) is supposed to be something simple or something any user would like to do. The reason it is dynamically generated is to accommodate for changes: if there is a new kernel for Ubuntu, the boot loader should point into that new kernel, but, unlike windows, you still have access to older kernels, in case something works better in the previous version.

Some notes:
* the command is kdesudo
* you can hit [tab] when typing a command for autocompletion, it would have actually completed kdesudo for you
* the command is update-grub, you typed it backwards, http://man.he.net/man8/update-grub
* there used to be a graphical configuration for grub in kubuntu (not very good but still useful), but it hasn;t been ported to the new grub.
* this is very lengthy but useful
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3106368.0

**verndog** · Feb 24, 2010, 09:43 AM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

Originally posted by johniathome

I want to drastically simplify this menu so that it just shows:

- XP (default)
- Kubuntu

...and I want it to stay this way throughout future Kubuntu updates (ideally!).
...

I want to make a simple change to the boot menu, and it should be a simple job to do - why isn't it?

I came to this decision a long time ago. I edit and make my own grub.cfg file. I control how my grub menu looks. Whenever you install or reinstall grub to the mbr it points back to the partition you installed it from.

I keep a copy of my grub.cfg in my home folder. Whenever there system issues a update-grub I simple overwrite the grub.cfg file with my own.

I have just as you stated, a simple menu with just the way I want it to look. None of that script messing around.

After all, I look at grub boot menu all of 2 seconds before I make my selection.
If I add another distro, I simple get its UUID and add it to the menu. This has worked for me.

As far as those that think this is "dangerous"

. A simple chroot and grub-install fixes it. Since grub2 came into existence I have only had to use that install when creating grub to a usb drive.

Also, I use symbolic links to the kernel so it picks up the latest kernels automatically.

**johniathome** · Feb 24, 2010, 11:04 AM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

I was beginning to loose the will to live - thanks for both of your quick responses!

Imilano:
The command typos were straight from the "help" page I was looking at.
your corrections have solved my initial problem.

Next question:
One of the partitions contains a Windows restore process that wipes the whole machine.
I don't want the user to accidentally start this running for obvious reasons.

I used the KDE partition manager to set the hidden flag on this partition (the boot flag is not set),
then re-generated the GRUB menu.

However, it does not ignore the partiton, and still creates a boot menu entry for it.
How can I stop this?

verndog:
Thanks for you suggestion - I will try it out some time.

**lmilano** · Feb 24, 2010, 01:06 PM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

I am afraid, this (blacklisting) seems to have been implemented quite recently (if implemented at all):
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=561626

So, it might be available for Lucid, but not for now!

You can also ask Qqmike, the author of the Grub help I referred to above ... best luck, and I am glad we are making progress!

**doctordruidphd** · Feb 24, 2010, 05:12 PM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

Another option would be to create a custom menu entry for your windows system based on what is in grub.cfg. You put that in /etc/grub.d/40_custom. Then change the 30_os-prober to non-executable. That way, it will update the linux listing, will not automatically list anything other than the linux system, and finally list your windows system from 40_custom. So you will have no listing from the rescue partition. There is also a "hidden" option that might work, but I am not familiar with how to use it.

Edit: to further simplify your menu, you could set up another entry in 40_custom that points to the links /vmlinuz and /initrd.img, instead of to the specific vmlinuz-2.6.whatever. That way, it will always point to the most recent kernel installed. Then, you could make 10_linux (and 20_memtest86+, for that matter) non-executable, and the only menu entries you see will be what is in your 40_custom.

Note, if you do this, be sure to check /boot/grub/grub.cfg before rebooting your machine, to make sure it generated the menu you expected.

**lmilano** · Feb 24, 2010, 05:54 PM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

Originally posted by doctordruidphd

Another option would be to create a custom menu entry for your windows system based on what is in grub.cfg. You put that in /etc/grub.d/40_custom. Then change the 30_os-prober to non-executable. That way, it will update the linux listing, will not automatically list anything other than the linux system, and finally list your windows system from 40_custom. So you will have no listing from the rescue partition. There is also a "hidden" option that might work, but I am not familiar with how to use it.

Edit: to further simplify your menu, you could set up another entry in 40_custom that points to the links /vmlinuz and /initrd.img, instead of to the specific vmlinuz-2.6.whatever. That way, it will always point to the most recent kernel installed. Then, you could make 10_linux (and 20_memtest86+, for that matter) non-executable, and the only menu entries you see will be what is in your 40_custom.

Note, if you do this, be sure to check /boot/grub/grub.cfg before rebooting your machine, to make sure it generated the menu you expected.

These are all brilliant ideas! I think that's the ticket for Johni!

**johniathome** · Feb 24, 2010, 06:33 PM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

Thanks to doctordruidphd. This looks like an excellent approach that will give me exactly what I want.

I had noticed 40_custom, but did not know how to use it.

One question: how do I make 30_os-prober non-executable (or anything else for that matter)?
Remember - I am new to this stuff!

(Going to bed now, so nothing more for a while).

**lmilano** · Feb 24, 2010, 07:31 PM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

You just do "chmod a-x /path/to/the/file/"

See here for more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chmod

**Snowhog** · Feb 24, 2010, 07:32 PM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

The Grub 2 Guide You'll find everything you need to know. Well written.

**johniathome** · Feb 25, 2010, 08:57 AM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

Thanks to all who have contributed to this.

I now have exactly what I want, and it's not often you get that in life!

**Snowhog** · Feb 25, 2010, 09:48 AM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

Welcome to KFN. Lot's of good people here. A varied range of experience.

**oshunluvr** · Feb 28, 2010, 10:30 AM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

Yet another solution is to have a dedicated GRUB partition!

This keeps my Quintuple boot system working!!!

**kapil** · Mar 01, 2010, 09:36 AM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu

@johniathome: welcome to KFN..
if your problem is solved please edit the subject line and append "(solved)"

and please tell us what did you do to get that perfect grub menu

**johniathome** · Mar 03, 2010, 05:12 PM

Re: Change GRUB boot menu (solved)

I got it to work mainly using doctordruidphd's suggestions, but thanks to everyone else who answered.

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Change GRUB boot menu (solved)

Change GRUB boot menu (solved)

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