GRUB Lists Ubuntu Twice (Four times, really)

[KevinCLovesU]

This wasn't always there, but now Ubuntu 6.06 and its recovery mode are both listed twice. How did this happen, and how can I fix it?

[oz]

If you are totally sure the entries are exactly the same, you can su to root and edit your /boot/grub/menu.lst (or grub.conf) file to remove the extra entries.

Edit: Oops... I forget that ubuntu uses sudo by default so you can use that rather than su'ing to root.

[aysiu]

Can you post the output of this command, so we can really see if it's listed twice or just what's normal?

cat /boot/grub/menu.lst

[KevinCLovesU]

Ok....

kevin@kevin-ubuntu-laptp:~$ cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
# menu.lst - See: grub(, info grub, update-grub(
# grub-install(, grub-floppy(,
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/hda2 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,1)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-386
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-25-386 root=/dev/hda2 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-25-386
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-25-386 root=/dev/hda2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-25-386
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/hda2 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/hda2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
boot

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

[antidrugue]

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-386
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-25-386 root=/dev/hda2 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-25-386
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-25-386 root=/dev/hda2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-25-386
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/hda2 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
savedefault
boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/hda2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
boot

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot

Those are perfectly normal, you have 2 different kernels here. The latest Ubuntu one (2.6.15-25), and the old one (2.6.15-23). Ubuntu always keeps the old kernel when it install a new one, just in case this new one doesn't work well for you.


You can uninstall the old one if you don't use it anymore :

sudo apt-get remove --purge 2.6.15-23*

Doing this will uninstall the packages related to the 2.6.15-23 kernel, like "linux-image-2.6.15-23-386", "linux-restricted-modules-2.6.15-23-386", etc.