Changing Default Boot OS

[BMWPower06]

Hey I just installed ubuntu 9.10 on my computer and love it, however, my school requires a lot of windows software so I'd like to make windows my default boot OS. How do I go about doing this? When I first start my computer it takes me to the black screen with all the OSs listed and I have 10 seconds to pick one before it automatically chooses the first one (ubuntu). How do I make it so that windows is the first one listed.

Thanks,

Matt

[oz]

Welcome to the forums!

You'll need to edit your /boot/grub/grub.cfg file and change the zero in the GRUB_DEFAULT=0 line to boot the entry that you want to boot first, or change it to saved if you prefer that. Entries begin the count at 0.

You can check the following tutorial for more info on working with GRUB2:

GRUB 2 bootloader - Full tutorial

[BMWPower06]

Welcome to the forums!

You'll need to edit your /boot/grub/grub.cfg file and change the zero in the GRUB_DEFAULT=0 line to boot the entry that you want to boot first, or change it to saved if you prefer that. Entries begin the count at 0.

You can check the following tutorial for more info on working with GRUB2:

Thanks for the quick reply and warm welcome. So I've found the grub file. Do I change the "Set Default" from 0 to a 6? Since windows XP is the 6th entry on the initial boot list?

Thanks for the help,

Matt

[BMWPower06]

FIY this is my grub file:
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s /boot/grub/grubenv ]; then
have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
save_env saved_entry
prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 27494571-5394-4fba-bf50-af3c988a3831
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/white
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-17-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 27494571-5394-4fba-bf50-af3c988a3831
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-17-generic root=UUID=27494571-5394-4fba-bf50-af3c988a3831 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-17-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-17-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 27494571-5394-4fba-bf50-af3c988a3831
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-17-generic root=UUID=27494571-5394-4fba-bf50-af3c988a3831 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-17-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 27494571-5394-4fba-bf50-af3c988a3831
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=27494571-5394-4fba-bf50-af3c988a3831 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 27494571-5394-4fba-bf50-af3c988a3831
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=27494571-5394-4fba-bf50-af3c988a3831 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows XP Media Center Edition (on /dev/sda1)" {
insmod ntfs
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 62a649ea741041a0
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows NT/2000/XP (on /dev/sda2)" {
insmod fat
set root=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 3ec6-2e70
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Embedded (on /dev/sda3)" {
insmod ntfs
set root=(hd0,3)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set beb4cc6bb4cc282b
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

[BMWPower06]

Also, it does not allow me to save the grub.cfg file, it says it is read only. How do I get around this?

Thanks for the help!

[oz]

So I've found the grub file. Do I change the "Set Default" from 0 to a 6? Since windows XP is the 6th entry on the initial boot list?

Thanks for the help,

Matt

If Windows XP is the 6th entry, it would count as number 5 if you count the first entry as 0.

Also, it does not allow me to save the grub.cfg file, it says it is read only. How do I get around this?

You have to edit the grub configuration file with root permissions. Go to a terminal and enter the following command:

sudo nano /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Edit the file, save, and reboot.

[oz]

Wait... hold up!

You are using Ubuntu and it works differently than Arch, the distro that I'm using. I think in Ubuntu, you'll need to edit the /etc/default/grub file instead, but you'd better wait until one of our Ubuntu users verifies this.

[BMWPower06]

Wait... hold up!

You are using Ubuntu and it works differently than Arch, the distro that I'm using. I think in Ubuntu, you'll need to edit the /etc/default/grub file instead, but you'd better wait until one of our Ubuntu users verifies this.

ahh okay, I'll sit tight then. Can someone please chime in and let me know what to do

Thanks guys!

[oz]

Here you go:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Grub2

... a GRUB2 HowTo straight from the Ubuntu wiki!


Edit: Okay, I just checked it and sure enough, it's the /etc/default/grub file that you'll need to edit. Check the wiki link above for details.

[BMWPower06]

ok thanks, so i did

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

in the terminal and I changed default boot to:
GRUB_DEFAULT=6

Default 6 did not work so now I'm trying:
GRUB_DEFAULT="Windows XP Media Center Edition (on /dev/sda1)"

wish me luck!