Dual Boot using GRUB. a noob Q

[Blevo]

My question is: how do I change the default OS on GRUB so it will automatically boot to Windows XP after the timeout instead of Debian etch?

Please keep in mind I have little to no experience using CLI, but I've reinstalled GNU/linux without a desktop interface in order to force myself into learning it.

Oh, and before I get laughed at for wishing to have Windows XP be the automatic OS on the system I'd like to add I'm not the main user of this particular computer and I don't feel she should have to worry about arrowing down to choose windows when she starts the computer. But feel free to laugh regardless.

[Juan Pablo]

Edit the file /boot/grub/menu.lst
Change the default part to the one you want, for example if Windows is the fifth option, change the line
default 0 to
default 4 and so on
Hit Ctrl-O to save

Oh, and before I get laughed at for wishing to have Windows XP be the automatic OS on the system I'd like to add I'm not the main user of this particular computer and I don't feel she should have to worry about arrowing down to choose windows when she starts the computer. But feel free to laugh regardless.

You won't get laughed, don't worry, people here are very friendly and we respect your decision

[smolloy]

Welcome to the forum!

Please keep in mind I have little to no experience using CLI, but I've reinstalled GNU/linux without a desktop interface in order to force myself into learning it.

This is a very admirable decision. You'll probably struggle at the beginning, but stick with it, and soon enough you'll be a linux god!

[Blevo]

Thanks for your reply Juan. I figured it would be something like that. But I wasn't clear enough. I don't know how to do anything, including simply editing a file.
Thanks for your help though. I had to teach myself a little bit about vi to accomplish the task but everything works like I want it to now. Luckily I have a linux textbook from a few years back that I could use as reference for vi

[Blevo]

Thanks for the encouragement smolloy.

That sounds like a pretty kick ass system you have there

[smolloy]

That sounds like a pretty kick ass system you have there

Thanks

I'm trying to persuade my wife that we're living like animals due to our meagre dual core processor, and we need to upgrade asap to a quad core system. No joy yet

[Blevo]

wow quad core? rediculous. what do you need all of that firepower for?

[Blevo]

Now if what I've learned could work on the system I intended it to work on:

Dual Boot and my screwy BIOS

[smolloy]

wow quad core? rediculous. what do you need all of that firepower for?

I don't *need* it, it'd just be cool to have. (Yes, I'm a geek.)