Aug
15

Tip: How Change Default OS in Dual Boot Ubuntu

My Acer 5570 Notebook is setup to dual boot Windows XP, for my online games and other Windows applications, and Kubuntu 7.10, my main operating system for stuff that I do most of the time like web browsing and blogging. Then my brother and I are now sharing the same notebook and he prefers Windows over Linux, not that I refuse to introduce him to Ubuntu but he had to use Microsoft Office for his office documents.

Windows and Ubuntu dual-boot systems are set boot Ubuntu first by default, so I decided to change the dual-boot order to default to Windows, since my brother will be using the notebook more.

To make Windows the default operating system in dual boot Ubuntu, follow these steps:

1. Press Alt+F2 to open the run dialog box.
2. Type in sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst. Type in root password.
3. Edit the line that looks like this:

default 0

Change the number to the equivalent order of Windows in the operating system list in GRUB boot screen. The number 0 means that GRUB will boot the first operating system, and so on. If Windows is in the 4th line, change the number to 3.

4. Save the file and exit.
5. Reboot to check the change.

Windows should boot as default.

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6 Comments to “Tip: How Change Default OS in Dual Boot Ubuntu”

  • jwcgator Windows XP Mozilla Firefox 3.0.1 August 15, 2008 at 9:56 pm

    2. Type in sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst. Type in root password.

    This step, change sudo to gksudo. Using sudo to run graphical programs (such as Gedit) can lead to problems.

    2. Type in gksudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst. Type in root password.

    more info here: http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/graphicalsudo

  • Tecnologías Libres » Tip: Cambia tu SO por defecto en GRUB WordPress 2.5.1 August 16, 2008 at 3:09 am

    [...] PinoyTux Weblog Posted in GNU/Linux, Libertades, Software, Tips | Leave a [...]

  • Rai Linux Mozilla Firefox 3.0.1 August 17, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    jwcgator: Thanks for the added tip!

    Cheers!

  • jebus Linux Mozilla Firefox 3.0.1 August 28, 2008 at 6:41 pm

    install start up manager

    sudo apt-get install startupmanager

  • Mikko Windows XP Mozilla Firefox 2.0 September 6, 2008 at 3:47 pm

    Cool!

    Thanks. I do have lots of OS installed on mine. Great that you posted a way to change the order of the OSes.

    You may also want to visit my blog as linked here. I am using Linux for a month now, but not now since a recent order from the University Hotspot (DILNET) made public internet access restricted from Mon to Friday 7am to 7pm only. AMf.

    Mikko’s last blog post is The Unright Time

  • What's Windows? Ubuntu Linux Mozilla Firefox 3.0.11 July 13, 2009 at 4:18 pm

    If my brother wanted to use my laptop, he would have to get used to what I have installed.

    If he wasn’t happy, he could always buy his own.

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