[SOLVED] Grub Configuration Query

Roger · 2022-09-13 20:41:49

This is a request for information that I seem to have mislaid. In the recent upgrade to GRUB2 I was presented with a configuration screen to select on which devices to install the boot-loader. The screen had check-boxes, but I was unable to find any key that enabled me to check them off. So I did the installation later with the grub-install command.

It was frustrating not to be able to use the configuration screen, and worry about the consequences of not using it. For future reference I would appreciate being told what the configuration gui utility is, and where it is documented.

Thanks.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2022-09-14 05:54:03

The configuration can be re-run with

dpkg-reconfigure grub-efi-amd64 # or grub-pc for non-UEFI systems

That will use a terminal interface by default, to get it to use a GUI instead pass the appropriate environmental variable, like this:

DEBIAN_FRONTEND=gnome dpkg-reconfigure grub-efi-amd64

The "gnome" frontend is GTK-based. Other versions include "kde" (Qt-based), "web" (browser-based) and my personal favourite "editor" (with ed ofc). See https://manpages.debian.org/bullseye/de … #Frontends for more on this.

To use the "gnome" interface by default run

DEBIAN_FRONTEND=gnome dpkg-reconfigure debconf

And select the desired front end.

With the default terminal interface use <tab> & <space> to switch between options and select/deselect them, respectively.

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2022-09-14 06:12:09)

Roger · 2022-09-16 01:48:05

Thank you very much. I don't use any of the usual desktops, just fvwm and my own choice of X11 applications, so I presumably get the default terminal interface. Normally when updates require some configuration the choices presented are what I want, and so it is only necessary to use the tab key to get to "OK". I must have tried several keys other than the space bar in my attempts to change selections in this case, and I appreciate the reminder that the space bar is the appropriate key.

I did manage to mess up grub on one of my machines, and just to refer to a previous thread of mine, and comments made there, I am now a devout fan of grub. I have to deal with a "grub rescue>" prompt, there, but I am sure success is possible.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2022-09-16 05:54:27

For your grub rescue> issue see https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=5245.

Debian made the unfortunate decision to update the GRUB version for the 11.5 point release but this breaks some UEFI firmware implementations: https://archlinux.org/news/grub-bootloa … ibilities/

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2022-09-16 05:55:18)

Roger · 2022-09-20 19:01:33

Thanks again. My machines are still using BIOS; the problem was certainly of my own creating, I suspect I did a grub-install to something other than /dev/sda. I might have persevered to get things sorted out from the limited commands available in grub rescue mode, but I was able to boot from SystemRescue (which I highly recommend) copied to a usb drive. Then all that was needed was to mount the proper file system and chroot.

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#1 2022-09-13 20:41:49

[SOLVED] Grub Configuration Query

#2 2022-09-14 05:54:03

Re: [SOLVED] Grub Configuration Query

#3 2022-09-16 01:48:05

Re: [SOLVED] Grub Configuration Query

#4 2022-09-16 05:54:27

Re: [SOLVED] Grub Configuration Query

#5 2022-09-20 19:01:33

Re: [SOLVED] Grub Configuration Query

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