Ubuntu Netbook (Setup) Queries

davetrousers

Good day all. I recently bought a cheap Netbook with Windows XP. I have put Ubuntu Netbook on it so that I have dual boot, however I have a couple of queries:

1) When you switch on you get a screen asking what you want to boot (essentially Windows XP or Ubuntu). The default option is Ubuntu, so if you do nothing it boots up Ubuntu, you have to select Windows. How can this be altered so that Windows is the default option?

2) When setting up Ubuntu it asked for a user name and password, which I duly set up. So when you boot up Ubuntu you get a log in screen that requires the password. How can I amend this so that I don't need to enter a password, so that Ubuntu just starts up?

Thanks very much

Toxteth_OGrady

You will need to edit your bootloader config file to change Win XP to default.

http://ubuntuforums.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=10285&d=1149029916

Toxteth_OGrady

You should be able to edit your Grub2 default OS in the UNR Start Up manager.

http://www.ubuntugeek.com/startup-manager-change-settings-in-grub-grub2-and-usplash.html

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1411793

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1412172

JustPassingBy

davetrousers wrote: »

1) When you switch on you get a screen asking what you want to boot (essentially Windows XP or Ubuntu). The default option is Ubuntu, so if you do nothing it boots up Ubuntu, you have to select Windows. How can this be altered so that Windows is the default option?

It uses GRUB2, I expect. Edit GRUB_DEFAULT in /etc/default/grub.

fwor

Beware - the GRUB bootloader was changed (IIRC from 10.04 onward) to GRUB2, and the configuration of this is completely different!

It's no longer a simple matter of editing config files, so the easiest way is to install the utility Startup Manager (used to be called Boot Up Manager - can't think why they changed the name...) and you can change most of the bootloader parameters via a simple GUI.

If you do it via editing config files, you need to run a command (grub-update?) via sudo from the command line to bring the changes into effect.

JustPassingBy

fwor wrote: »

If you do it via editing config files, you need to run a command (grub-update?) via sudo from the command line to bring the changes into effect.

update-grub. I'm always forgetting to run it! The GUI method will run it automatically.

davetrousers

Doesn't look too straightforward then.

fermi

Install and use the Start Up Manager. That is pretty straight forward.

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

That works with grub2.

I'm faffing around trying to solve some kernel related suspend resume problems, so I've been changing what default kernel/OS I want to boot via that.