I have no GRUB menu, and can't boot to the real-time kernel

[OldManAP]

I'm a very new Linux user, so speak slowly and don't use big words...

I installed Karmic from the Live CD. It is the only OS in use on this system. I then upgraded to Ubuntu Studio using the instructions found on the wiki.

On bootup, I get a brief message stating "GRUB loading" and then the system automatically boots to the generic kernel. No GRUB menu is ever displayed.

I would like the option to boot to the real-time kernel, but I have no idea how to edit the appropriate files. I've done a fair amount of reading on the subject, but I find very little information relating directly to the real-time kernel, and so I still feel like I'm too green to do it without messing something up.

I guess I'm asking for a basic how-to. Thanks in advance!

[zvacet]

Boot in Ubuntu and then in applications>accessories>terminal type (you can copy/paste this)


sudo update-grub

After that restart comp and when is start to boot press Esc key.I think that way you will be able to see grub and from there choose which kernel you want to boot in.

[OldManAP]

Thanks. I tried this, but it didn't work. Still automatically booting into the generic kernel, with no menu.

I know the problem is likely to be related to one of the following files:

Here is my grub.cfg:

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

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s /boot/grub/grubenv ]; then
have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
save_env saved_entry
prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
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/white
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-20-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic root=UUID=cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e ro splash quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-20-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic root=UUID=cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e ro single splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e ro splash quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e ro single splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-9-rt" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-9-rt root=UUID=cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e ro splash quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-9-rt
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-9-rt (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-9-rt root=UUID=cddeb4e1-2cbe-417d-a0e5-2eeeb8a18a0e ro single splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-9-rt
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
if [ ${timeout} != -1 ]; then
if keystatus; then
if keystatus --shift; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=0
fi
else
if sleep --interruptible 3 ; then
set timeout=0
fi
fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### 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.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###Here is my 40_custom:

#!/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.And I do not have a menu.lst whatsoever.

It seems that I should have a menu.lst, and that 40_custom should have more stuff in it. I just don't know enough yet to safely edit this stuff on my own.

Bear in mind that I used Karmic as the base install, so I assume I am dealing with GRUB2.

[cchhrriiss121212]

Try downloading startup manager from synaptic, it is a simple GUI program so there is no terminal stuff involved. You can then choose which kernel to use as default and how long the grub menu will be displayed.

[snowpine]

Shift, not Esc. :)

[zvacet]

@ snowpine

You are right.Tnx for correcting me! ;)

[OldManAP]

Thanks for the help, folks. Problem appears to be solved.