Computer FAQs & Tips

Configure default Boot Loader

In most cases, users are installing Ubuntu as dual boots to their Windows. By default the system will boot to Ubuntu. Now they want to the default boot to Windows.

This post is showing you how to configure the default Boot Loader on Ubuntu.

The file which you need to modify is /boot/grub/menu.lst

Now use the following command to edit

sudo vi /boot/grub/menu.lst

Scroll to (almost) end of file, you will see a list similar to example below
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FAQ & Tip Boot Loader, GRUB, Ubuntu

For those who use dual Operating Systems (eg. Linux, Windows) you might find this article useful when you come to the time where you need to re-format your Windows Operating System.

In my case, my computer has dual boot with Ubuntu and Windows XP and today I need to format my Windows XP but I don't want lose my entire Ubuntu. Now it's different from in the old day experience, I usually lost every partitions after formatting Windows and I wasn't aware that GRUB can be reinstall to get the boot menu back.

There are serveral ways AND there's an easy way to recover this problem. Just though I'd post it here for my future reference and hoping it might help other as well.

Assumed that you have Linux CD handy. I use Ubuntu Live CD (Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop Edition) at the time writing this article.

• Power ON PC
• Set your PC boot sequence to boot from CD first
• Insert Linux CD in the drive
• When system boot up, press any key to boot from CD
• List of languages displays, select you preferred language (English recommended)
• Select Try Ubuntu from the menu
• When you get to Ubuntu desktop, open the terminal and type the following command
  

  sudo grub

• At grub prompt, type
  

  find /boot/grub/stage1

• result will display underneath, it could be (hd0,0) or (hd0,1) depends on your the hard disk you have. Make sure you type in the parameter below correctly
  

  root (hd0,0)
  setup (hd0)
  quit

• Close the terminal
• Restart your computer
• You should see Grub menu to select which Operating System to boot

FAQ & Tip GRUB, Live-CD

[ This post is duplicated to updated version at 2008/06/06/restore-grub-after-installing-windows ]

From my experience, when I format my Windows I lost my Grub boot menu at the same time. Before I have this solution, I usually reinstall everything all over again. Now that I want to keep things running for a long term, even my windows need to be formatted I still have my Linux OS bootable without losing anything. Below is the solution.

If you have similar scenario follow the rest of this post, I will show you trick and tools will be the solution for you

Tool

• Linux Live CD

Restore Grub

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FAQ & Tip GRUB, Linux-Generic, Linux-Live-CD