Problem with boot menu!

[zking]

When I boot up my computer, the menu gives me the options to boot into one of these operating systems:

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-15-generic
uuid 2fb78eda-4f0e-446d-baae-fdf440a32f66
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-15-generic root=UUID=2fb78eda-4f0e-446d-baae-fdf440a32f66 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-15-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-15-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 2fb78eda-4f0e-446d-baae-fdf440a32f66
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-15-generic root=UUID=2fb78eda-4f0e-446d-baae-fdf440a32f66 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-15-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid 2fb78eda-4f0e-446d-baae-fdf440a32f66
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=2fb78eda-4f0e-446d-baae-fdf440a32f66 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 2fb78eda-4f0e-446d-baae-fdf440a32f66
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=2fb78eda-4f0e-446d-baae-fdf440a32f66 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
uuid 2fb78eda-4f0e-446d-baae-fdf440a32f66
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

title Windows Vista (loader)
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1



For some reason, "Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic" and "Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)" show up twice in the boot menu. Did I accidentally install Ubuntu twice? How do I fix this?

[snowpine]

Hi Zking, when you updated your computer, you got a new kernel (2.6.28-15). Ubuntu keeps the old kernel (2.6.28-11) so you can boot into it in case there's a problem. Each kernel has a recovery mode as well, in case you need it. Your menu looks normal to me.

ps You can tell you have one Ubuntu install and not two by comparing the UUID numbers... they are identical, therefore all of your Ubuntu is installed on the same partition.

[zking]

Hi Zking, when you updated your computer, you got a new kernel (2.6.28-15). Ubuntu keeps the old kernel (2.6.28-11) so you can boot into it in case there's a problem. Each kernel has a recovery mode as well, in case you need it. Your menu looks normal to me.

ps You can tell you have one Ubuntu install and not two by comparing the UUID numbers... they are identical, therefore all of your Ubuntu is installed on the same partition.

Oh, okay. Thanks for the help.

[mbaggia]

when you updated your computer, you got a new kernel (2.6.28-15). Ubuntu keeps the old kernel (2.6.28-11) so you can boot into it in case there's a problem. Each kernel has a recovery mode as well, in case you need it.

I have three kernels in my GRUB menu. Is there any way of getting rid of old ones to free up disk space?

Thanks,
Masood

[snowpine]

I have three kernels in my GRUB menu. Is there any way of getting rid of old ones to free up disk space?

Thanks,
Masood

Yes; you can remove old kernels in the Synaptic package manager. Look for the linux-headers and linux-images packages, and be sure to remove the correct versions.

I recommend keeping at least two kernels so you always have a spare.

[drs305]

mbaggia,

You can remove them via synaptic, as mentioned in the previous post, or hide them in the menu.lst. You can do this manually or using a grub tweaking app called StartUp-Manager. It's a great GUI menu editor for Grub.

This guide discusses SUM but also contains a section on how to remove the kernel displays (including how to remove them with Synaptic):
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=818177

[snowpine]

Hiding them in the grub list will not accomplish Masood's stated goal of freeing up disk space.

[drs305]

Hiding them in the grub list will not accomplish Masood's stated goal of freeing up disk space.

That's why I referenced the section of the guide which discusses specifically which files to remove via Synaptic. But you are correct and I could have been clearer.

[mbaggia]

Thank you both for the advice!

[Lieter]

You can use apt-get to remove the old kernels:

sudo apt-get remove linux-image-2.6.28-XX-generic

Where XX is the kernel you want to remove. Doing this will also remove the entries froom the boot menu