Embedded Files
When GRUB 2 is in its own dedicated partition it is 'operating system independant', so we can add or remove one or two operating systems without the inconvenience of losing the boot of the remaining operating systems.
Those of us who are multi-booting with more that two operating systems in their computer like to be able to set their own user friendly names for their operating systems.
It's okay to edit the grub.cfg directly when GRUB 2 isn't part of an operating system, making it easier to do what we like with GRUB and have fun with it and learn more GRUB commands and tricks.
- Choose an existing partition or create a new one and format it with a file system, you will need at least about 60 MiB of space in the partition for grub 2 files, but a little more room than that might be advisable.
- Format the partition with a file system and optionally give the file system a FILE SYSTEM LABEL.
- Mount the partition by clicking on its icon in the 'Places' menu.
- Run a grub-install command similar to the one shown below,
- sudo grub-install --root-directory=/media/grub2 /dev/sda
Where: '/media/grub2' is the mount point for the file system I want to have GRUB files created in
Where: I want to make a new /boot/grub directory and fill it with GRUB files.
Where: '/dev/sda' is the hard disk in which I want to write the stage1 code to MBR in
That command creates a new /boot and /boot/grub/ directory if one doesn't already exist, and creates or refreshes GRUB files in /boot/grub, all except for grub.cfg.
If you don't make a grub.cfg then there will be no GRUB Menu and your computer will boot to a GRUB Command Line Interface.
If you want a GRUB Menu you need to make a grub.cfg file and copy it to /boot/grub.
You can make your own grub.cfg file and customize it in any way you like.
The proper way to do it would be to use the grub-mkconfig command, and alter the file path to make it point to the 'Dedicated' /boot/grub/'.
Another way would be to make your own grub.cfg, if you need an example to help you get started, look here, grub.cfg - Grub Wiki.
Or, copy and paste this one, grub.cfg, to a blank text file, name it grub.cfg, edit it to your needs and paste it in your Dedicated /boot/grub.
Later, you can also make and add other files such as background images.
I had trouble getting my 'Dedicated GRUB 2' to display any background image at first.
I was getting 'error: No video mode activated', after trying the background_image command in CLI Mode.
I needed make a fonts folder in my 'Dedicated GRUB 2 Partition and copy the fonts from /usr/share/grub/unicode.pff and /usr/share/grub/ascii.pff into it. Then I had to correct the fonts path in my grub.cfg header area,
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
set default=0
set timeout=5
set root=(hd0,2)
if font (hd0,2)/fonts/unicode.pff ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
terminal gfxterm
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
After that I was able to display my splashimage in my 'Dedicated GRUB 2 Partition'.
After this it´s neccesairy to install grub in the partition of your linux OS. Use this method for doing that (where sda5 should be replaced with the device name of your /boot partition:
sudo grub-install /dev/sda5
Where: /dev/sda5 is the disk you wish to install GRUB to, (boot.img to first hard disk MBR), otherwise use '/dev/sdb' for second hard disk or '/dev/sdc' for third hard disk.
Normally, most people will want to install GRUB to MBR in the first hard disk if Ubuntu is installed in a so-called 'internal' disk inside a computer. By an 'internal' disk I mean a disk that is more or less 'permanently' connected to the motherboard by IDE ribbon cables or SATA cables.
If your computer has more than one hard disk and you're not sure which hard disk's MBR you want to install GRUB2 to, it might be best to install GRUB to all of your disks, just to make sure.
If you have Ubuntu installed in a so-called 'removable' disk, such as a USB 'external' drive, or any disk that you intend to remove from the computer, you should probably install GRUB to the MBR of the same disk you have Ubuntu installed in only, meaning your USB external drive.
If you want to install GRUB2 to the boot sector of a partition for some strange reason, you may use something like /dev/sda1 or /dev/sda2 for writing GRUB's boot.img to a partition boot sector. The practice of installing GRUB2 to partition boot sectors is not encouraged. It reduces GRUB's reliability and it could be dangerous to other operating systems if users use the grub-install command carelessly or ill-informed and write GRUB to the wrong boot sector.
You need to have the operating system booted first, before you can use the command.
If the operating system you're trying to fix won't boot you need to chroot into it from another operating system such as a Live CD operating system before you can run grub-install. In that situation it might be easier to use grub-setup instead, please refer to How To Re-install GRUB from Live CD - with grub-setup.
The grub-install command doesn't run grub-mkconfig (or update-grub), so the user still needs to run one of those commands if a new grub.cfg is wanted. See grub -mkconfig - make a new grub.cfg file.
Examples of the grub.cfg file in the dedicated grub partition:
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
set have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}
function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
function load_video {
insmod vbe
insmod vga
}
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=nl
insmod gettext
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,7)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8385-8482
insmod tga
if background_image /boot/grub/background/earthrise-tux-windows.tga ; then
set color_normal=white/black
set color_highlight=white/light-gray
else
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=white/light-gray
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry "Linux Mint configfile" {
configfile (hd0,9)/boot/grub/grub.cfg
}
menuentry "Linux Ubuntu configfile" {
configfile (hd0,5)/boot/grub/grub.cfg
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Professional NL(on /dev/sda1)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 067a6eea242a2681
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
Example of the grub.cfg file on the OS partition:
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
set have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}
function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
function load_video {
insmod vbe
insmod vga
insmod video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
}
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=nl_NL
insmod gettext
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
if background_color 44,0,30; then
clear
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
if [ ${recordfail} != 1 ]; then
if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "$linux_gfx_mode" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Ubuntu, met Linux 2.6.38-10-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-10-generic root=UUID=e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-10-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, met Linux 2.6.38-10-generic (herstelmodus)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.38-10-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-10-generic root=UUID=e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-10-generic
}
submenu "Previous Linux versions" {
menuentry 'Ubuntu, met Linux 2.6.35-30-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-30-generic root=UUID=e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-30-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, met Linux 2.6.35-30-generic (herstelmodus)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.35-30-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-30-generic root=UUID=e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-30-generic
}
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e25d5b4e-d3df-47ec-be92-2f79d417d9f2
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
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