This is a good HOWTO, however I don't agree with your methods of editing the grub menu.lst file. If the kernel were to change, grub would be reconfigured and your writeback settings would be lost. The writeback option should be applied to the commented options section of the menu.lst file. Look at the text between "##Start Default Options##" and "##End Default Options##". The actual uncommented grub menu should not be altered. Below is an example of what the menu.lst will look like on most systems: (altered lines have been highlighted in red)
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'.
default 2
## 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 specifiv 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=root=/dev/hda4 ro
## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,3)
## 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
## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single rootflags=data=writeback
## nonaltoption boot targets option
## This option controls options to pass to only the
## primary kernel menu item.
## You can have ONLY one nonaltoptions line
# nonaltoptions=quiet splash rootflags=data=writeback
## 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
## ## End Default Options ##
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.12-10-k7
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10-k7 root=/dev/hda4 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-10-k7
savedefault
boot
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.12-10-k7 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-10-k7 root=/dev/hda4 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-10-k7
boot
title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
boot
### 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
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda1
title Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1
When this is done, save the file and run "sudo update-grub" to change the grub menu accordingly. The reason this is so important, is when a package is installed that changes the grub menu (such as installing a different kernel), the update-grub command is used which changes the grub menu according to the options in the commented section.
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