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Question

How Do I Eliminate Earlier Boot Options?

Jun 6, 2011 2:24AM PDT
I am very much new to Ubuntu (Linux) OS which a colleague of my son recently installed on my laptop already with Windows Vista - Premium Home Edition.

Not being familiar at all with the usage, it's only on occasional basis that I play around it to familiarize myself. I noticed an indication at the left bottom on the screen to upgrade which I did.

When the Ubuntu was initially installed, The GRUB Loading screen listed the following booting options:

Ubuntu, Linux 2-6-31-14-generic
Ubuntu, Linux 2-6-31-14-generic (recovery mode)
Memory test (memtest86+)
Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 15200)
Windows Vista (loader) (on /dev/sda1)
Windows Vista (loader) (on /dev/sda2)


After carrying out the "Update" process, I now have the following options:

Ubuntu, Linux 2-6-31-23-generic
Ubuntu, Linux 2-6-31-23-generic (recovery mode)
Ubuntu, Linux 2-6-31-14-generic
Ubuntu, Linux 2-6-31-14-generic (recovery mode)
Memory test (memtest86+)
Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 15200)
Windows Vista (loader) (on /dev/sda1)
Windows Vista (loader) (on /dev/sda2)


Questions are: (1) How do I remove the original Linux 2-6-31-14 options?
and
(2) How do I make Windows Vista as the first option?


Thanks to all who may help me to understand the Linux better.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Remember this is GRUB (not linux)
Jun 6, 2011 2:32AM PDT
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Eliminate boot items
Jun 6, 2011 5:11AM PDT
It is recommended that you keep two(2) kernel images
But if you want to eliminate 2-6-31-14 go to synaptic download manager and uninstall both instances of the kernel

To set Vista as first start option open in terminal : sudo gedit /etc/default/grub
Where it says grub default=0 set that number to correspond to the position of your vista on the display panel

Grub2 count the first entry as zero so you should use 4 If not correct then change number up or down as needed

After changes are made run :sudo update-grub from terminal
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I have to keep all as listed in my post?
Jun 7, 2011 4:01PM PDT

Thanks to both of you. As indicated, I am totally new to Linux/Ubuntu, thus, my total ignorance of GRUB.

Ray, does it mean that I have to keep all 8 options as listed in my page?

How do I get to the terminal to make changes?

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No it does not
Jun 8, 2011 4:50AM PDT

Keeping two kernels only means that if you have problems with one you can revert to the other and boot your distro from it.

To get to a terminal click on gmenu :accessories :terminal : from there you have to type the commands need to change the default boot option

As I use a dock your gmenu may be the left most entry on your panel or taskbar

I also eliminate mentest as it is for checking ram cards and can be found in synaptic if needed.

Hope this helps

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I now have two additional kernels
Jan 30, 2012 12:15AM PST

Based on your suggestion to maintain at least two kernels at a time, I left everything in tact.

Problem now is after a couple of upgrades, I have had two more kernels added to my GRUB/boot listing making it a total of about 10 listings.

You mentioned something about synaptics download manager which I could find my way to locate it. I rather, though found under System->Administration->Synaptic Package Manager. From there I did not know what to do next.

Being new, I would be grateful if you could direct me where to go from there.

Another issue is that my Windows Vista (loader) has been interchanged with the related Recovery Environment (loader). This means if I want to log in to Windows and scroll down to Vista (loader), I will be invoking reovery process instead of loading Windows. How could this also be changed?

Thanks and regards,

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Answer
Just to compare
Jun 6, 2011 11:20PM PDT

Might sound a Mandriva sales pitch but here is the answer with Mandriva Linux.

Go to the Mandriva Control Center (MCC)
Click under System Boot
If you do not like the Decision Time (secs) to which OS to boot you can change the amount to longer or shorter time, click Next.
There you Check the box to choose the Default on which OS you want to boot up if a choice is not made and remove the Old Kernels from the boot. Also, you can change the labels that will show at the Boot Loader.
Click save and you are done.

That easy! No even a single command line all done through GUI.

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Where Do I Find Mandriva?
Jun 7, 2011 4:04PM PDT

Where in Ubuntu do I find Mandriva Control Center?

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There is no Mandriva Control Center in Ubuntu
Jun 7, 2011 7:06PM PDT

There is no Mandriva Control Center in Ubuntu.
Mandriva is other Linux distribution. You can try it out too Wink

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Go here
Jun 8, 2011 3:18AM PDT
http://www.mandriva.com/en/

There is a paid (Power Pack) 60 Euros a year for subscription and Free version.

The difference is not much, just special proprietary drivers and software.

I suggest the Free version and if you really like it, you can bump to the Power Pack or stay with Free.