Ubuntu 9.10 will use GRUB 2 as its default bootloader, replacing GRUB legacy. In this post, we take a look at some of the new features offered by this change.
Most of the enhancements of GRUB 2 will benefit only power users, since normal people are unlikely to want to boot to the grub command line to play with the features below (although StartUp Manager offers a GUI for configuring some of these options). Nonetheless, the updated version of GRUB is a complete rewrite of its deprecated predecessor, and Ubuntu follows other leading Linux distributions, like Fedora, in switching to it.
Scripting
With support for variables, conditional statements and functions, GRUB 2 offers rich scripting opportunities. This opens a wide range of new possibilities, like checking to see that a given kernel image exists before trying to boot it, making the boot experience a bit more user-friendly.
Rescue mode
When GRUB legacy has a problem that prevents it from booting the operating system, it usually just hangs, forcing users to hard-reboot the system. In contrast, GRUB 2 fails to a command prompt where users can attempt to rescue a half-booted system. Granted, this feature will be of help only to geeks who can work from the command line, but it’s still an improvement over the vague error messages that GRUB legacy likes to throw.
Graphical boot
GRUB 2 makes it possible to create graphical boot menus like these, which represent a major aesthetic improvement over the ugly text-based menu of GRUB legacy. Although Ubuntu currently doesn’t plan to take advantage of this feature, preferring instead to make the boot process so fast that aethestics don’t matter, users can still enable it manually in Karmic.
Boot ISO images
GRUB 2 can boot directly to ISO images stored on a local disk, meaning among other things that testing a Linux live CD is as simple as saving its image to hard disk and passing GRUB the commands to boot to it. No longer having to burn a CD or create a bootable USB drive in order to play with a new Linux distribution is a great improvement. This feature could also come in handy for rescuing broken systems using live CDs.
On a closing note, I should point out that systems upgraded to Ubuntu 9.10 from an earlier release will not have their bootloaders replaced, because that would be an inherently risky operation. Only fresh installs of Karmic will use GRUB 2. However, the ambitious can upgrade their bootloaders manually following these instructions.
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Chris,
Keep these posts coming please. I’m loving them.
This sounds exciting. I like the idea of being able to test a LiveCD from an ISO or using it as a restore/recovery option!
“Although Ubuntu currently doesn’t plan to take advantage of this feature, preferring instead to make the boot process so fast that aethestics don’t matter”
You sound confused.
Users with single-boot systems should never see GRUB at all, so aesthetics are irrelevant (and always have been).
The graphical boot menu is for users with multi-boot systems, and it’s going to show up and prompt the user no matter what. Making boot time faster has absolutely nothing to do with this. Ubuntu should have a nice graphical menu by default, so that the OS selection screen is not so intimidating on dual-boot machines.
Simplicius: glad you like the material. Thanks for the comment.
Uh: the last I heard, Ubuntu had no plans for a nice graphical boot menu in Karmic. The bootloader for the Karmic beta build still looks like the one pictured here: http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/LINUX/large/grub2karmic-large_001.jpg, which is no better than GRUB legacy. I’ve read that the reason Ubuntu hasn’t opted for a prettier menu is that it plans to make boot so fast that it won’t matter. I know this doesn’t make a huge amount of sense, because the system isn’t really booting when it’s at the GRUB menu, but that’s what the developers said.
[...] http://www.workswithu.com/2009/07/29/ubuntu-910-preview-grub-2/ [...]
[...] http://www.workswithu.com/2009/07/29/ubuntu-910-preview-grub-2/ [...]
Christopher, fantastic article. I loved
I it would be terrific if, by Karmic release time, you could post an article linking to all of these Karmic previews. It is an invaluable source! And it will help people make the most out of Karmic. It will also bring lots of new visitors here, I am sure
Cheers!
[...] : Ubuntu 9.10 Preview : GRUB 2 (Works with [...]
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[...] Ubuntu 9.10 Preview: GRUB 2 On a closing note, I should point out that systems upgraded to Ubuntu 9.10 from an earlier release will not have their bootloaders replaced, because that would be an inherently risky operation. Only fresh installs of Karmic will use GRUB 2. [...]
[...] Theinquirer.es Noticias relacionadasUbuntu 9.10 Alpha 2, disponibleAnimación de arranque para Ubuntu 9.10Ubuntu [...]
Looks like I’ll be doing a fresh install for 9.10
)
The current settings in alpha3 of karmic doesn’t seem to allow booting from iso as easily:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=7687228
http://mgerards.net/blog/?p=16
Some arguments in grub2 needs to be implemented in ubuntu, I’m not sure though if this is a bug or not. Opinions?
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Due a bug in gdm2 the ugly text based menu ist forced and no timeout work for now. You have o select an entry to reach the login.
Cool. How do I edit the boot menu as in before ? grub.conf?
Hi,
when i type sudo su in terminal of my ubuntu 9.10.
it gives error as
sudo: must be setuid root
i can’t install new packages and via add/remove or terminal and also i can’t access synaptic.
How to solve it
Thanks
Ramakrishnan t
I was sort of looking for more information on how to use it not promo material. This page is kinda useless. Though it is nice to know I can have a graphical boot menu.
I’m curious about the grub.conf in karmic as well.
m also facing d same problem wat Ramakrishnan stated…!! somebody plz help//