Removing GRUB 2 entries

[Gtrax]

In short - I don't quite know how to do it.

I would like the user to see only the (2) OS boot choices suitable. ie. not to include every previous abandoned kernel, and recovery options, and memory tests.

I am thinking the GRUB 2 more functionality was achieved at the price of presenting a user with what I experience as Byzantian mangle of default loaded templates, almost designed to make me give up and leave the defaults.

menu.lst is no more - its now /boot/grub/grub.cfg DON'T edit it!
/etc/grub.d has the new stuff. These are not just a list of boot-up choices anymore. It requires one to be a programmer.
One called 20_memtest86+ is not really to be meddled with. I tried simply making it non-executable.
The last choice, 40_custom, allows to add entries only - not quite what we wanted to do.

So am I doing this wrong? I know I can fully remove old kernels using Synaptic, but I don't really want to strip out the other OS - just make them not appear on the menu. It seems a simple thing, and I feel foolish I can't just do it easily, but I gave it a good try, and now I need help..

[bigtomrodney]

It's actually a bit easier than that. You can just uninstall your old kernel packages through Synaptic and then run sudo update-grub to have the menu reflect the changes. Ignore the scripts in /etc/grub.d - think of them as tools rather than an actual configuration. The grub configuration file is now /etc/default/grub

[devils casper]

Have you execute sudo update-grub command after removing old kernels and resetting execution of memtest grub script?

[Agresiv]

1. sudo chmod 777 /boot/grub/grub.cfg
2. sudo gedit /boot/grub/grub.cfg

3. no sure: sudo chmod 444 /boot/grub/grub.cfg

[devils casper]

1. sudo chmod 777 /boot/grub/grub.cfg
2. sudo gedit /boot/grub/grub.cfg

3. no sure: sudo chmod 444 /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Its not recommended to edit grub.cfg file. It will be overwritten whenever update-grub command get executed. update-grub command generates new grub.cfg file using data available in /etc/default/grub file and /etc/grub.d/ scripts.

[oz]

Hi, Gtrax

In addition to trying the suggestions above, Ubuntu has a couple of nice articles for working with GRUB2 that you might want to check out if you haven't found them already:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Grub2

I'd have to agree with you that the GRUB devs have really complicated things for users with the release of GRUB2, but I'm hoping that they'll make it easier to work with as it improves.

[bendib]

Just find the lines in your grub config file whatever that may be and comment out the ones you don't want by putting a # at the beginning of each one.

[devils casper]

Just find the lines in your grub config file whatever that may be and comment out the ones you don't want by putting a # at the beginning of each one.

As I mentioned in last post, one should not edit grub.cfg file. Its contents overwritten on execution of update-grub command. You should make necessary changes in script files and default grub conf file ( /etc/default/grub ) only.

[Gtrax]

Sorry for the pause - I have been away. Thanks very much to all of you for the replies.
However I do it, I will not be meddling with grub.cfg.

Even though the new deal is not as handy in letting us make the boot-up choice appearance as we would like, I find the auto-update kernel bonus just way too convenient to ignore. Keeping menu.lst properly pointing at the wanted kernels was a chore!

Tnx also Ozar for the article links

The whole thing has, to some extent, blunted my favorite game of trying out all sorts of distros, on a bunch of logical partitions, using the same old grub for years on end, and simply editing menu.lst. The better way is either VirtualBox, or use a "retired" box.
G

[devils casper]

The whole thing has, to some extent, blunted my favorite game of trying out all sorts of distros, on a bunch of logical partitions, using the same old grub for years on end, and simply editing menu.lst.

Its more easy than earlier now. You had to edit menu.lst file after distro installation. Now, just execute sudo update-grub command and it will detect new distro and edit grub.cfg accordingly. You don't have to edit any file.