.::|Dide(3)d's Blog::.

Last week, our TR team got a question from one of our readers.

The Question was :

How do i change the default grub boot order to Windows XP other than Ubuntu?

We thought this question might help a lot of people out there googling for Ubuntu Grub Default order change. Here are the steps :

• Open the file menu.lst

Code:

gksudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

• Then change default from 0 to 6. Only change the number.So this:

Code :

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#            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

should look like this:


Code :
# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),

#            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		6



SAVE THE FILE AND CLOSE IT

Why is it 6? Because at the end of the file, from this section:## ## End Default Options ##,

Windows is the 6th option (the first option is 0, second option is 1 etc.)
Code :
## ## End Default Options ##
THIS ONE IS 0
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-386
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-25-386 root=/dev/hdb1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-25-386
savedefault
boot
THIS ONE IS 1

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-25-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-25-386 root=/dev/hdb1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-25-386
boot

THIS ONE IS 2
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/hdb1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
savedefault
boot

THIS ONE IS 3
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/hdb1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
boot

THIS ONE IS 4

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot
### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

THIS ONE IS 5

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian

# ones.

title Other operating systems:

root

THIS ONE IS 6

# 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

Ubuntu has done more for Linux adoption than any other distribution, and that is more than a matter of how much money mark Shuttleworth has thrown into the mix. It is a benefit of being the distribution that was not afraid to use things that were not open-source when it was clear that they were needed, like drivers.

Now, on its way to releasing another long term support version of Ubuntu (10.04) the company is asking prospective users what they would like to see included with it. The choices given are closed source, and not all free, which may be upsetting to some, but are going to be necessary if Linux is to grow further.  Some of the choices are outlined, and the effects are shown in an article from Download Squad -

To say Ubuntu has a dedicated fan base is probably a bit of an understatement. As the most widely-recognized Linux distribution, Ubuntu has helped push Linux beyond the fringe of desktop computer use.
But because it’s Linux — and because Linux and open source are intertwined so tightly in the minds of many — things get a little dicey when there’s mention of closed source software being packaged with Ubuntu by default.
Take the recent survey they posted. It’s a reasonable enough request - which apps would you like to see in Ubuntu which currently aren’t available? Where the trouble arises is with the selections listed in the survey, apparently: Photoshop, iTunes, Skype, Hulu.
Oh god, no! What the hell are they thinking?!
I’ll tell you what. They’re thinking that Ubuntu needs those apps in order to appeal to a much broader group of people. Windows still owns the desktop computer market, and the lack of recognizable apps like iTunes keeps many people from even considering Linux as an alternative.
It’s the truth, whether the Ubuntu community wants to admit it or not. I’ve tried to extol the virtues of Linux to plenty of retail customers and more than one has replied “can I run iTunes on it?” When I say no, their interest disappears completely.
Bringing apps like those mentioned would be a bold move by Canonical, but one that would indeed pay off in the long run.

This would be a very good thing for many, because some people are so wed to one or two applications that they are totally familiar with them, and the problem has been that releases of open-source work-alikes fall into the “close, but no cigar” category. By giving those people the real thing, the last point of hold out for many is removed.

Canonical is touting private cloud capabilities in an upgrade to its Ubuntu Linux OS being announced on Tuesday.

Available for free download on October 29, Ubuntu 9.10 Server Edition introduces UEC (Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud), an open source cloud computing environment based on the same APIs as Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud). Businesses can take advantage of private clouds, Canonical said.

“Essentially, what this release is doing is targeting cloud computing, in particular,” said Steve George, director of support and services for Canonical. With version 9.10, users can take core ideas of cloud computing, including agility, resource pooling, and virtualization, in deploying clouds on their own hardware, George said.

Users can set up 10 to 15 private servers and use the same APIs as in Amazon EC2, thus leveraging the same capabilities they would use with Amazon, George said. Applications can be taken off the Amazon cloud and put into the user’s own cloud, or vice versa.

UEC is an umbrella name for a set of cloud technologies including the Eucalyptus project, which provides an open source system for implementation of on-premise and hybrid clouds using hardware and software already in place. UEC, Canonical said, makes it easy to deploy and manage a cloud environment.

Eucalyptus backing piqued the interest of analyst Stephen O’Grady, of RedMonk.

“As far as the server aspect to the release, the Eucalyptus inclusion is certainly the most interesting development, enabling as it does private cloud functionality with an Amazon and VMware compatibility story,” O’Grady said.

Previously codenamed “Karmic Koala,” Ubuntu 9.10 also will be available on the Amazon EC2 environment as an Amazon Machine Image. UEC images are identical to Ubuntu AMI; work done in one environment can be uploaded to the other, Canonical said.

A store capability is being prepared in UEC to provide users with access to ready-to-deploy applications in the UEC environment.

Also featured in version 9.10 is the addition of the MySQL 5.1 database. The directory stack and single sign-on tools add improved directory integration and Django now ships as a supported framework to enhance Web server options.

Kernel improvements better support Xen and KVM virtualization and improve caching performance. Support for the USB 3.0 protocol enables “super speed transfer rates” when devices become available, Canonical said. OpenLDAP integration is featured for mixing Ubuntu into an existing LDAP network, providing for centralized authentication and authorization.

System management support is featured for WBEM (Web-based enterprise management) protocols. This enables support of the Ubuntu environment via popular system management tools.

Canonical provides engineering, online and professional services to customers and partners. The company will provide maintenance, security updates, and critical fixes for version 9.10 for the next 18 months.