Aug

Tip: How Change Default OS in Dual Boot Ubuntu

Rai

Linux, Tips Tags

boot, boot loader, default, grub, Linux, Microsoft, operating system, ubuntu, windows

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.

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

jwcgator 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 August 16, 2008 at 3:09 am
[...] PinoyTux Weblog Posted in GNU/Linux, Libertades, Software, Tips | Leave a [...]
Rai August 17, 2008 at 12:25 pm
jwcgator: Thanks for the added tip!

Cheers!
jebus August 28, 2008 at 6:41 pm
install start up manager

sudo apt-get install startupmanager
Mikko 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? 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.
J. Hartikka April 2, 2010 at 9:07 pm
Hi!

I am trying to find the file /boot/grub/menu.lst for setting windows as default on grub boot but there is no such file!

How can I set the dual boot default to windows..?

Ubuntu 9.10 and Win XP Pro.

Regards,

- J. Hartikka –

Finland
Marek October 27, 2010 at 6:38 am
menu.lst opens a empty gedit file for me. grub.cfg works tho. im using ubuntu 10 btw