editing grub screen

**cmcanulty** · November 4th, 2012

I have been playing around all day on an old laptop that has 1GB RAM. I resized my home partition and made a new ext4 10 GB partition and installed Puppy Precise on it. I can boot to it fine. But a small issue-in the grub screen it lists ubuntu and unknown linux I would like to change the unknown to Puppy Precise but everything I have read seems very complicated. Is there an easy way to do this?

**oldfred** · November 4th, 2012

Copy your entry in grub.cfg into 40_custom and edit description at will.

This was my old puppy entry in 40_custom.

Code:

menuentry "Puppy 511" {
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd3,msdos12)'
        linux /boot/lupu511/vmlinuz root=/dev/ram0 pmedia=atahd loglevel=7 pkeys=us 
        initrd /boot/lupu511/initrd.gz
}

gedit /boot/grub/grub.cfg
gksudo gedit /etc/grub.d/40_custom
gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub
sudo update-grub

In /etc/default/grub I added this so I do not get os-prober entry:
gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub
GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=true
or turn off executeable bit
sudo chmod a-x /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober

Gui app may be easier but I started before it was available and just edit 40_custom.
New Grub Customizer works with 12.10
http://www.webupd8.org/2012/09/grub-...-released.html

**cmcanulty** · November 5th, 2012

OK I think I did that correctly but no change still it is unknown linux I also installed grub customizer but it had 4 entries to modify but not the unknown linux entry so I am stuck. Oh I forgot update grub and now I get this error

Code:

Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-32-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-32-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-30-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-30-generic
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin
Found unknown Linux distribution on /dev/sda4
error: $.
error: syntax error.
error: Incorrect command.
error: syntax error.
Syntax error at line 274
Syntax errors are detected in generated GRUB config file.
Ensure that there are no errors in /etc/default/grub
and /etc/grub.d/* files or please file a bug report with
/boot/grub/grub.cfg.new file attached.done
cmcanulty@Gateway2:~$

Here is my grub file

Code:

# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update
# /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
# For full documentation of the options in this file, see:
#   info -f grub -n 'Simple configuration'

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

# Uncomment to enable BadRAM filtering, modify to suit your needs
# This works with Linux (no patch required) and with any kernel that obtains
# the memory map information from GRUB (GNU Mach, kernel of FreeBSD ...)
#GRUB_BADRAM="0x01234567,0xfefefefe,0x89abcdef,0xefefefef"

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)
#GRUB_TERMINAL=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'
#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries
GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY="true"

# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start
#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"

Here is the grub.d file

Code:

#!/bin/sh
exec tail -n +3 $0
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
title Puppy Linux 5.4 full install in sda4
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda4 pmedia=atahdmenuentry '"Puppy Precise" distribution (on /dev/sda4)' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $
menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-/boot/vmlinuz--821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3' {
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos4'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos4 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos4 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos4  821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3
		fi
		linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda4
	}

and here is the grub.cfg file

Code:

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  set have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
set default="0"

if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}

function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
fi
    font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/07_puppy ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/07_puppy ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
function gfxmode {
	set gfxpayload="${1}"
	if [ "${1}" = "keep" ]; then
		set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
	else
		set vt_handoff=
	fi
}
if [ "${recordfail}" != 1 ]; then
  if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
    if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
      if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
        set linux_gfx_mode=keep
      else
        set linux_gfx_mode=text
      fi
    else
      set linux_gfx_mode=text
    fi
  else
    set linux_gfx_mode=keep
  fi
else
  set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "${linux_gfx_mode}" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Ubuntu' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50' {
recordfail
	gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='hd0,msdos1'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
	fi
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic root=UUID=5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50 ro   quiet splash $vt_handoff
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Ubuntu' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50' {
	menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.5.0-17-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.5.0-17-generic-advanced-5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50' {
	recordfail
		gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 3.5.0-17-generic ...'
		linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic root=UUID=5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50 ro   quiet splash $vt_handoff
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic
	}
	menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-32-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.2.0-32-generic-advanced-5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50' {
	recordfail
		gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 3.2.0-32-generic ...'
		linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-32-generic root=UUID=5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50 ro   quiet splash $vt_handoff
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-32-generic
	}
	menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-30-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.2.0-30-generic-advanced-5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50' {
	recordfail
		gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 3.2.0-30-generic ...'
		linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-30-generic root=UUID=5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50 ro   quiet splash $vt_handoff
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-30-generic
	}
}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='hd0,msdos1'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
	fi
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='hd0,msdos1'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5f536293-1d87-40bd-a43d-d746016a1d50
	fi
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry 'unknown Linux distribution' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-simple-821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3' {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='hd0,msdos4'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos4 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos4 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos4  821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3
	fi
	linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda4
}
submenu 'Advanced options for unknown Linux distribution' $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-advanced-821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3' {
	menuentry 'unknown Linux distribution (on /dev/sda4)' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-/boot/vmlinuz--821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3' {
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos4'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos4 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos4 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos4  821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3
		fi
		linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda4
	}
	menuentry 'unknown Linux distribution (on /dev/sda4)' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-/boot/vmlinuz--821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3' {
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos4'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos4 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos4 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos4  821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 821e5b54-d724-44e3-bcee-5560fbf2cea3
		fi
		linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda4
	}
}

### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
title Puppy Linux 5.4 full install in sda4
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda4 pmedia=atahd

### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

I am afraid this is maybe beyond me I don't really understand the 3 different files and what each does.

**oldfred** · November 5th, 2012

It does not look like you have the { } matched, see my example. Each boot stanza has to have matched {}.

grub2 older versions did not give errors on mismatched {} and I had that for a while. It just left that boot stanza out in the older versions and is was not anything I normally booted so I did not notice it missing. But with the newer grub2 is gives the error and will not update.

You seem to have this before your copied stanza. Where did this come from?

Code:

title Puppy Linux 5.4 full install in sda4
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda4 pmedia=atahdmenuentry '"Puppy Precise" distribution (on /dev/sda4)' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $

/etc/default/grub are boot configuration parameters read by update-grub.
The scripts in /etc/grub.d are all run by update-grub. The 40_custom is just for custom entries that you can add, but have to be in correct format just like any other boot stanza.

**cmcanulty** · November 5th, 2012

well I tried fixing it and now have a system that won't even boot to a live usb or cd I have tried several

**oldfred** · November 5th, 2012

Not booting a CD or Flash drive has nothing to do with the grub menu. You may have to do a cold boot and if a laptop remove battery. Some systems get BIOS messed up and you need the reset to boot CD.

**cmcanulty** · November 5th, 2012

I gave up and reinstalled by blacklisting my b43 wireless. This is something ubuntu really needs to fix. b43 is a very common wireless and without a techy blacklist all install freeze at first splash screen. I guess dual booting is too complicated for me even with a separate partition for it. I really wanted to run puppy but have Ubuntu available as needed but not worth trashing system and spending all day reinstalling everything. Thanks for your help though!