How to: Create a Customized GRUB2 Screen that is Maintenance Free.

With grub 1.99, which started on Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal), when you select the windows option, you will see an erroneous error that says something like
"invalid argument specified
Press any key to continue"

But, whether you wait or press any key it will boot into windows normally.
If you do not have a windows OS, there are no problems what so ever.

My latest Grub2 screen installed on Quantal Quetzal with Lucid 10.04, Precise 12.04, Quantal 12.10 and Windows 7.
It never changes even when new kernels get installed in any Ubuntu.
I get bored and change it from time to time.

Grub 2 Screen.

I would not suggest using this How To for Quantal. At least not for the time being.
I could not get it to work myself.
Any other version of Ubuntu is fine though.

In Quantal, I did everything except include Quantal in 06_custom and I also left 10_lunux executable so I could get to Quantal.
In my experience if grub is not installed on Quantal, I have no mouse and the video is terrible.
So this is my menu with the other OS' custom at the top above Quantal:

Code:

---

    0    Lycid Lynx 10.04
    1    Lycid Lynx 10.04 (Recovery Mode)
    2    Ubuntu Precise Pangolin 12.04
    3    Ubuntu Precise Pangolin 12.04 (Recovery Mode)
    4    Windows 7
    5    Ubuntu, with Linux 3.5.0-11-generic
    6    Ubuntu, with Linux 3.5.0-11-generic (recovery mode)
    7    Ubuntu, with Linux 3.5.0-6-generic
    8    Ubuntu, with Linux 3.5.0-6-generic (recovery mode)

---

This custom grub menu DOES indeed work with Quantal. Not sure if it is the recent addition of the Nvidia 304.43 driver or if I had just made an error.

This is my /etc/grub.d/06_custom 7 entries and every option works great.

Code:

---

#!/bin/sh
echo 1>&2 "Adding Ubuntu Lucid Lynx 10.04, Precise Pangolin 12.04, Quantal Quetzal 12.10 and Windows 7"
exec tail -n +4 $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.
menuentry "Lycid Lynx 10.04" {
    set root=(hd0,3)
        linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda3 ro quiet splash
        initrd /initrd.img
}
menuentry "Lycid Lynx 10.04 (Recovery Mode)" {
    set root=(hd0,3)
        linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda3 ro single
        initrd /initrd.img
}
menuentry "Precise Pangolin 12.04" {
    set root=(hd0,9)
        linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda9 ro quiet splash
        initrd /initrd.img
}
menuentry "Precise Pangolin 12.04 (Recovery Mode)" {
    set root=(hd0,9)
        linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda9 ro single
        initrd /initrd.img
}
menuentry "Quantal Quetzal 12.10" {
    set root=(hd0,7)
        linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda7 ro quiet splash
        initrd /initrd.img
}
menuentry "Quantal Quetzal 12.10 (Recovery Mode)" {
    set root=(hd0,7)
        linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda7 ro single
        initrd /initrd.img
}
menuentry "Windows 7" {
    insmod ntfs
    set root='(hd0,1)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 1CFC7A8DFC7A60C6
    chainloader +1
}

---

Hey, Cavsfan. Sorry I disappeared as far as posting a screen shot of my set up. Things have been pretty hectic around here, plus I had an issue with the Nvidia driver on my Lubuntu set up, so running it under Wubi for now while trying to figure out the RIGHT way to upgrade the driver. So I'll get that screen shot as soon as I can, but it'll be a while.

FYI: This works for Linux Mint, too. I'm running Maya (Mint 13) 32-bit with the Cinnamon desktop, and works fine. I haven't found a good picture I want to use yet, but I WILL get one and I WILL post a pic when I get it finished. :) Also works dual-booting on my wife's netbook with Windows 7 Starter. I was a bit worried, because Mint has it's own grub files, but they appear to be mainly asthetic things with the actual login screen, not with the grub menu.

FYI #2: Below, you have a mistake. When I was trying to do this again on my fresh install (tonight, actually) of Mint 13, I ran into the previous "syntax error" that I had back over on pages 12 and 13 of this thread. drs305 posted the fix, and you updated the front page tutorial, but not completely. Below, you still have the "echo" line directly above the menuentry line, when actually it should go above the "exec" line at the top. Unless that's what you meant by "the echo command only at the top", but it's a bit misleading when the code you posted has it directly above the menuentry. Make sense? :) Took me a few pages of reading the thread again before I found out the mistake.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cavsfan

*Note if you are are using Grub2 version 1.99, you will want to use the following with the echo command only at the top:

Code:

---

echo "Adding Ubuntu Lucid Lynx 10.04, Precise Pangolin 12.04 and Windows 7" >&2
menuentry "Lycid Lynx 10.04" {
    set root=(hd0,3)
        linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda3 ro quiet splash
        initrd /initrd.img
}

---

(Delete the cat << EOF line and the EOF lines)

---

Any way, screen shots (hopefully) to come soon. Thanks again!

Edit: OK, you have it correct in the post above this, but not on the front page.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ChinaJustin

Edit: OK, you have it correct in the post above this, but not on the front page.

---

Glad you got it fixed and working well! :D

I was in the process of fixing the first post as you point out and they took away our rights to edit How Tos.
The forum changed their policy for people to use Wiki for their How Tos.
So, I have been adding stuff to the bottom and hoping people will find it there.

I tried out Mint for a while. This worked on that and even on Debian Squeeze too. Now, I have Lucid Lynx 10.04, Precise Pangolin 12.04, Quantal Quetzal 12.10 and Windows 7.
I have customized the grub on all 3 Ubuntus.
The only single problem that we have when Windows is selected from the menu it gives an erroneous error with "press any key to continue".
But, if you wait or just press enter it goes right into Windows.
So, that is not a problem.

Thanks for the post and I look forward to seeing your grub screen. :D

I just wanted to mention that Quantal Quetzal 12.10 just got a grub update to version 2.00 and if you are dual booting with windows,
you no longer will get any kind of error when selecting any windows OS from this custom menu.

Code:

---

cavsfan@cavsfan-MS-7529:~$ grub-install -v
grub-install (GRUB) 2.00-4ubuntu1

---

This tutorial is going be migrated over to a wiki shortly but, if any one is using Quantal and got the new update,
the custom font colors go after line 108 not 98 in /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme.

The wiki is finished and getting close to being linked to this thread I believe. It is simpler than this How To as it has gotten a bit convoluted over time.

It should be more straight forward and I will let you know when it is available.

This How to is based on the idea that if you dual boot Ubuntu and Windows, want Windows as the default and want a way to keep from having to
constantly change the default line every time a new kernel is installed so that Windows remains the default (for my wife and son) this is the best way.

Thanks to the Ubuntu users who have used this How To. :grin:

The link to the wiki is going to be added to the top of this thread soon.

But, here is the link. It is broken down into Grub version 1.98 (Lucid) at the top.
Then there is Grub version 1.99 (anything after Lucid and before Quantal) and Grub 2.00 (Quantal).
There are only minor differences between Grub 1.99 and Grub 2.00.
There is also an example Grub screen for each Grub version.

grub-install -v entered in Terminal will tell you what version of Grub you have.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MaintenanceFreeCustomGrub2Screen

Post any questions here.

Great job Cavsfan!!!

I have bludged since 12.04 and left my Grub screen standard, time to get back on the horse :)