Customizing GRUB
From MEPIS Documentation Wiki
After successfully installing a dual-boot system, most people want to customize it to better suit their preferences.
Changing the boot menu timeout
It is possible to change the length of time for which the boot menu is shown. This is useful if you would like the computer to start up faster (without the delay of showing the menu) or would like more time to choose which operating system to start. The instructions for changing the boot menu timeout are given below:
- Press KMenu --> System --> Terminal Program (Konsole)
- Type the following:
cd /boot/grub su cp menu.lst menu_backup.lst kwrite menu.lst
KWrite, a text editor, will start, and will open the file menu.lst.
- The first line contains text similar to the following:
timeout 30
This line determines the time, in seconds, during which the boot menu will be shown. Change the number on this line to the number of seconds which you would like the menu to be shown for. Use 0 if you would not like the menu to be shown at all.
- Press File --> Save to save your changes and then Exit. Your changes should take effect the next time you restart your computer.
Changing the default operating system to boot
You can decide which operating system will be started automatically if you have not chosen one from the boot menu within a certain time.
- Press KMenu --> System --> Terminal Program (Konsole)
Type the following:
cd /boot/grub su cp menu.lst menu_backup.lst kwrite menu.lst
- KWrite, a text editor, will start, and will open the file menu.lst. The entry for each available operating system is arranged in blocks similar to the following:
title Mepis, kernel 2.6.15-26-686 root (hd0,0) kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-26-686 root=/dev/hda1 ro quiet splash boot
- Find the operating system you would like to set as the default by looking at the lines marked title in each block.
- Highlight the entire block of the operating system you want as default, click Edit --> Cut, place your cursor above the first MEPIS entry, and click Edit --> Paste.
- For instance, your original menu.lst might look something like this:
timeout 30 color cyan/blue white/blue foreground ffffff background 0639a1 gfxmenu /boot/grub/message title MEPIS at hda2, latest kernel root (hd0,1) kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 nomce quiet vga=791 boot title MEPIS at hda2, previous kernel (if any) root (hd0,1) kernel /boot/vmlinuz.old root=/dev/hda2 nomce quiet vga=791 boot title MEPIS at hda2, kernel 2.6.15-27-desktop root (hd0,1) kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-desktop root=/dev/hda2 nomce quiet vga=791 boot title WINDOWS at hda1 rootnoverify (hd0,0) chainloader +1 title MEMTEST kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
If you want Windows to be the default system to boot, after cutting and pasting your new menu.lst would look like this:
timeout 30 color cyan/blue white/blue foreground ffffff background 0639a1 gfxmenu /boot/grub/message title WINDOWS at hda1 rootnoverify (hd0,0) chainloader +1 title MEPIS at hda2, latest kernel root (hd0,1) kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 nomce quiet vga=791 boot title MEPIS at hda2, previous kernel (if any) root (hd0,1) kernel /boot/vmlinuz.old root=/dev/hda2 nomce quiet vga=791 boot title MEPIS at hda2, kernel 2.6.15-27-desktop root (hd0,1) kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-desktop root=/dev/hda2 nomce quiet vga=791 boot title MEMTEST kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
- Click File --> Save to save your changes and exit KWrite. The new default should take effect the next time you restart your computer.
