Why no prompt for boot options?

Forum: HD Install
Topic: Why no prompt for boot options?
started by: ddaupert

Posted by ddaupert on June 15 2006,12:59

Yo,

Frugal grub installed after a bunch of retries; I set some options, later wanted to redo the options to set home, opt, mydsl, restore, and host. On my first install that actually worked, the script prompted me for boot options. But never again.

I tried editing grub's menu.lst, but it's read only (must have been the copy in RAM, not sure where the editable copy lives).

I tried reinstalling DSL, but script didn't offer to let me set boot options this time.
I tried running the install script using the update option instead of install, but still no prompt for boot options.
I tried feeding options to grub at its command line at boot time, booted up, checked menu.lst, my new options don't appear there.

I'm using the frugal grub install script from within the fluxbox wm. BTW, where can I find that script in the file system? I'd like to read through it.

/dennis

Posted by clivesay on June 15 2006,13:51

You need to edit the menu.lst that's in the root of the installed partition like /mnt/hda1/boot/grub/menu.lst. You have to do that as root. Sounds like your trying to edit the one that's in the filesystem at /boot. That should get you what you need.

Chris

Posted by mikshaw on June 15 2006,14:03

As far as the boot prompt goes, you can edit grub entries at runtime. This is for the current session only; the changes are not saved to disk.

1) Select a Grub entry when the list appears at boot time.
2) Press "e" to edit.
3) Select the line you want to edit (if there is more than one line).
4) Press "e" to edit.
5) Press "Enter" to accept changes, or "Esc" to cancel.
6) Press "b" to boot the selected entry.

Posted by ddaupert on June 15 2006,16:14

Quote (clivesay @ June 15 2006,09:51)

Chris, thanks for that info. I may need just a bit more of a nudge to get there, tho.

/dev/hda1 = swap
/dev/hda2 = installed partition
/dev/hda3 == where I hope to put persistent stuff

cd /mnt
ls -lR *

Every directory is empty, including /mnt/hda2. Do I need to manually mount to \mnt? I guess I expected that would be automounted. I have used mount command before, but how do I do so in this ramdisk environment?

BTW, I see you are in Indiana. I'm in Indianapolis.

/dennis

Posted by ddaupert on June 15 2006,16:22

Quote (mikshaw @ June 15 2006,10:03)

mikshaw,

Right, that's the procedure I used to add the boot options thru grub's cmd line. You confirmed for me that options entered that way do not save. Thanks.

/dennis

Posted by clivesay on June 15 2006,17:40

Yes, you can mount the hda2 partition and see the files in there. I think you can also find the files in /cdrom. People from Indiana seem to be rare around these parts. The Texans are everywhere.

Chris

Posted by ddaupert on June 15 2006,19:14

Quote (clivesay @ June 15 2006,13:40)

Yes, you can mount the hda2 partition and see the files in there. I think you can also find the files in /cdrom. People from Indiana seem to be rare around these parts. The Texans are everywhere.

Chris

Wonderous, I got it!

Yes, I mounted /dev/hda2 to /mnt/hda2, and was able to find an editable /boot/grub/menu.lst. I checked /etc/fstab, and the mount cmd *is* in there; I have no idea why it wasn't mounting.

Anyways, that did the trick. I now boot up with persistent /home, /opt, all them goodies.

I also found /usr/sbin/frugal_grub.sh, had a read. I don't see anything in there that would account for my being prompted for boot options a couple days ago. I did NOT use the frugal_install.sh script that installs lilo. Was I hallucinating? Have the drugs worn off by now?

(fade out to 'Twilight Zone' refrain...)

BTW, Chris, you wouldn't happen to be close enough to Indianapolis to go to Cinlug meetings, would you? They NEED a presentation of DSL. I would certainly attend!

/dennis