Possible menu.lst problem after kernel update

[Col-1023]

Today I was offered a kernel update, but while updating the kernel I was asked about menu.lst and offered these suggestions,

1. install the package maintainer's version
2. keep the local version currently installed
3. show the differences between the versions
4. show a side-by-side difference between the versions
5. show a 3-way difference between available versions
6. do a 3-way merge between available versions (experimental)
7. start a new shell to examine the situation

What would you like to do about menu.lst?

I didn't really know what menu.lst was so I chose number 4.

Everything else went fine, and after rebooting there was some graphics ugliness, but eventually everything seemed to work.

A second reboot showed no graphics ugliness.

After some reading, it may have been wiser to choose number 1, since even though I've rebooted, I my system may not be using the latest kernel.

System monitor says 3.2.0-30 generic, whereas the kernel update today was 3.2.0-31 I believe.

Synaptic shows the latest kernel I have installed and marked green is 3.2.0-31.50

Ubuntu is the only os on this machine, so by doing nothing shouldn't the latest kernel be automatically installed, I only started typing or moving the mouse when the passwork screen comes up.

Is this a problem, or nothing to worry about.

Thanks In Advance

[Col-1023]

I ran uname -r, uname -v and got back 3.2-0.30 and #48

After more searching, My problem might be related to this Bug #1054289


https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...x/+bug/1054289

[mikewhatever]

The menu.lst is the old GRUB's config file, and when seeing that message, it's generally safer to select the second option.

Since everything seems to work, I am not sure there is anything to do.

The bug report you've linked to seems unrelated.

[Col-1023]

Thanks Mike for your reply.

I linked to that bug because while update manager had downloaded the latest kernel, 3.2.0-31.50, this is not currently running on my system, that is it's not been installed.

The kernel on my system is 3.2.0-30.48.


I think something strange did happen with the latest ketnel update, but don't know whether it's a big deal or just a trivial problem that will be fixed soon.

[oldfred]

If you kept an old menu you have to update the menu yourself to include the new kernel.

Whether old grub legacy or grub2.

sudo update-grub

But why do you still have grub legacy? Ubuntu 9.04 was the last to use grub legacy as the standard. Grub2 started with 9.10 and only those who upgraded may have still kept grub legacy. Have you just upgraded from 9.04 or before or had some issue where you thought you needed grub legacy?

[Col-1023]

Thanks Oldfred for your reply.

I think I did start with ubuntu 9.04 a few years back, then upgraded to 9.10 - 10.04 lts, where I stayed until upgrading to 12.04.1.

I Never upgraded grub to grub2 because I was worried that if anything went wrong the system wouldn't boot, and I need this system working, I also didn't see any advantages in grub2.

So assuming I'm still using grub legacy, if I run "sudo update-grub" will that update my menu.lst file, or is this a command that only works with grub2