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n3tjm

Papa Elf
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Trying to get Vista to be default operating system to boot to. I tried several changes in the menu.lst but cant seem to get it to work. Googling it says to change default=0 to default=1, but I don't even see default=0?

I have a feeling the answer is right in front of me...
Can anyone offer any advice?

Here is my menu.lst file

# 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 use 'savedefault' 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=UUID=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b

## 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

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

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

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-11-generic
uuid cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-11-generic root=UUID=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-11-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-11-generic root=UUID=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-11-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic
uuid cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic (recovery mode)
uuid cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, memtest86+
uuid cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### 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

title Windows Vista
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1
 
Default is in the second commented out section at the top of the file right now its set to 0.
 
It's on about line 14 in your file it looks like.

You also need to set the default to 5, not 1 since the entry for Vista is the sixth entry in the file.

Or it looks like you could set it to "default saved" and then once you stop the autoboot during the 10 second countdown and manually make it boot Vista, it should then become the new default.
 
I think there is something like a bug or so...
sometimes you have to move the windoze entry to the top. Your menu.lst then will 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 use 'savedefault' 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=UUID=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b

## 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

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

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

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-11-generic
uuid cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-11-generic root=UUID=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-11-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-11-generic root=UUID=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-11-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic
uuid cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic (recovery mode)
uuid cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, memtest86+
uuid cc6f6ecc-0b9e-4073-8f5d-ba30768d122b
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### 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

title Windows Vista
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1



If you don't want to do stuff with text files - you can try the GUI way, which works always for me:
1. Install Startup Manager (you can install "startupmanager" from synaptic or type:
Code:
sudo apt-get install startupmanager
in a terminal )
2. Start startup manager either from the System>Administration>Start-up manager menu or by typing
Code:
startupmanager
in a terminal
3. Select windoze vista from the combo-box
4. Press the close button. Now you will see a "Performing post-configuration tasks" window. This process is veeery slow - on my PC it takes half an hour, but after that everything works like a charm!

Good luck!
 
Thanks. This helped a lot. I found the "default" I needed to change, and I changed it. Works great :). Now to try to figure out how to get my wireless network card working ;)
 
Also bear in mind that next time you do a Linux kernel update it will put the new kernel in the 1st (ie 0) position, and nudge everything down. So if you have default 5 for Vista, you'll have to remember to either scrap the oldest kernel or make it default 6.
Actually for Ubuntu they usually come in pairs (the real Kernel and the recovery one), so will need to add 2 or bin a pair... but *always* keep the last known working configuration as an option, else you could have a non-booting system and have to use the boot console command line to get Vista.
 
Also bear in mind that next time you do a Linux kernel update it will put the new kernel in the 1st (ie 0) position, and nudge everything down. So if you have default 5 for Vista, you'll have to remember to either scrap the oldest kernel or make it default 6.
Actually for Ubuntu they usually come in pairs (the real Kernel and the recovery one), so will need to add 2 or bin a pair... but *always* keep the last known working configuration as an option, else you could have a non-booting system and have to use the boot console command line to get Vista.
I've been through this... ourgh that took ages to fix!!!!!!
 
Thanks. This helped a lot. I found the "default" I needed to change, and I changed it. Works great :). Now to try to figure out how to get my wireless network card working ;)
In intrepid there's a very neat GUI way to do this.
1. Either go to System>Preferences>Network connection manager or type "nm-connection-editor" in a terminal.
2. Go to the Wireless tab
3. Click Add
4. In the SSID field write your SSID. It's case-sensitive!!!
5. If your network is secured, go to the Wireless security tab, select your encryption type and paste your key. It's case-sensitive!!!
6. Click OK, and connect. that should work. If it doesn't - ask on ubuntuforums.com
 
In intrepid there's a very neat GUI way to do this.
1. Either go to System>Preferences>Network connection manager or type "nm-connection-editor" in a terminal.
2. Go to the Wireless tab
3. Click Add
4. In the SSID field write your SSID. It's case-sensitive!!!
5. If your network is secured, go to the Wireless security tab, select your encryption type and paste your key. It's case-sensitive!!!
6. Click OK, and connect. that should work. If it doesn't - ask on ubuntuforums.com

I figured that part out... the only problem is getting the network card itself working with Ubuntu. I did some reading on it, so it is only a matter of time :p. I am actually thinking about installing the 64 bit version of Ubuntu :p
 
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