Grub 2 Basics

[zika]

I fixed this by removing the /boot/grub/grubenv file.

man grub-editenv

[lee8oi]

That worked! Gee if they could have just put that in there in the first place I wouldn't have to rant about it! Thanks again. Next I'll be exploring the graphical aspect of grub2.

I am the first to agree that the "saved" function could only be designed by geeks.

As I understand it, "GRUB_DEFAULT=saved" only enables two commands to work: grub-set-default and "grub-reboot".

To get the last selected OS to be 'saved' and used on future boots, you have to use "GRUB_SAVEDEFAULT=true".

Have you tried that second setting?

Glad you like the guide.

[unclesid]

Nice guide, overengineered software. I will kill the xxxxxxx Koala and install Debian instead tonight. Grub2! Not even the man pages are correct.

/Sid

[cmcginty]

see below

[cmcginty]

Hi, this bug is still biting me. How can I prevent grub2 from writing to my partitions that are supposed to be read-only. I know grub2 is trying to do the "smart" thing here. But there should be some way to disable this.

man grub-editenv

Zika, I don't see how grub-editenv will stop grub from writing to the partition. Is there a variable that will prevent this?

[ghostier]

I've got the resolution to work. I've also edited the 05_debian_theme correctly (update-grub finds the correct image file) however the image still does not appear for me. I was wondering if "use_bg = false" should be "use_bg = true" because right now both instances that call "use_bg =" is "use_bg = true" I was wondering if that messed up the loops within the code.

Edit: Just tried it after setting the first "use_bg = true" to "use_bg = false". This is the one right before the for loop where we enter the image file name and directory. No dice. I don't think its the "use_bg"

[ranch hand]

I've got the resolution to work. I've also edited the 05_debian_theme correctly (update-grub finds the correct image file) however the image still does not appear for me. I was wondering if "use_bg = false" should be "use_bg = true" because right now both instances that call "use_bg =" is "use_bg = true" I was wondering if that messed up the loops within the code.

Edit: Just tried it after setting the first "use_bg = true" to "use_bg = false". This is the one right before the for loop where we enter the image file name and directory. No dice. I don't think its the "use_bg"

Mine works fine like this:

#!/bin/bash -e

source /usr/lib/grub/grub-mkconfig_lib

# this allows desktop-base to override our settings
f=/usr/share/desktop-base/grub_background.sh
if test -e ${f} ; then
  source ${f}
else
  WALLPAPER="/usr/share/images/desktop-base/menu.png"
  COLOR_NORMAL="white/black"
  COLOR_HIGHLIGHT="black/white"
fi

set_mono_theme()
{
  cat << EOF
set menu_color_normal=black/black
set menu_color_highlight=red/white
EOF
}

# check for usable backgrounds
use_bg=false
if [ "$GRUB_TERMINAL_OUTPUT" = "gfxterm" ] ; then
  for i in /boot/grub/`basename ${WALLPAPER}` ${WALLPAPER} ; do
    if is_path_readable_by_grub $i ; then 
      bg=$i
      case ${bg} in
        *.png)        reader=png ;;
        *.tga)        reader=tga ;;
        *.jpg|*.jpeg)    reader=jpeg ;;
      esac
      if test -e /boot/grub/${reader}.mod ; then
        echo "Found background image: `basename ${bg}`" >&2
        use_bg=true
        break
      fi
    fi
  done
fi

# set the background if possible
if ${use_bg} ; then
  prepare_grub_to_access_device `${grub_probe} --target=device ${bg}`
  cat << EOF
insmod ${reader}
if background_image `make_system_path_relative_to_its_root ${bg}` ; then
  set color_normal=${COLOR_NORMAL}
  set color_highlight=${COLOR_HIGHLIGHT}
else
EOF
fi

# otherwise, set a monochromatic theme for Ubuntu
if ${use_bg} ; then
  set_mono_theme | sed -e "s/^/  /g"
  echo "fi"
else
  set_mono_theme
fi

I am wondering if you downloaded the images package and if that is screwing with it. The default file is /usr/share/images/desktop-base (there is a package called desktop-base that will give you the image called for by default if you like people to think that you are booting Debian).

I believe the "bg=false" is in reference to not finding the image.

If you have the images package installed leave the selected image in the .../images/grub file but copy it to the .../images/desktop-base file too.

I had to do that early on in 9.10-testing but I thought that was ironed out back then. Might be worth a try.

I never liked the images anyway so I edit my own with gimp and just put them in the desktop-base file with, as you can see, complex names.

[ghostier]

hmm I dont think moving the images from 05_debian_theme installation will be useful because I am using my own images which I've put in both folders. Just tried your code and edited your image path to my own, updated grub, terminal says it found the image then reboot to check but still monochrome. =/

EDIT: Just took a closer look at your code. "f=/usr/share/desktop-base/grub_background.sh" from line 6 caught my eye. I don't have such directory. What is that path for? In fact, I just searched my file system for grub_background.sh and couldn't find it.

[ranch hand]

I am headed to bed and am not on that platform now. I will see where that bugger is tomorrow.

[drs305]

EDIT: Just took a closer look at your code. "f=/usr/share/desktop-base/grub_background.sh" from line 6 caught my eye. I don't have such directory. What is that path for? In fact, I just searched my file system for grub_background.sh and couldn't find it.

In the default G2 install, the path is "/usr/share/images/desktop-base/" and there is no "grub_background.sh" file.

Since G2 is now finding your image, it might be time for you to post your 05_debian_theme and /etc/default/grub files for us to see if we can find the problem.