BootLoader - Change the system loaded by default

From your "bootloader" to change the system loaded by default, proceed as follow:

(note that all these procedures are run under "root")

For Lilo

Edit configuration file /etc/liloonf.

substitute the value of the "default" variable by the "label" of the specific system you want to load.

e.g from the following file the default system loaded will be linux :

boot=/dev/hda map=/boot/map install=/boot/boot.b default=linux prompt timeout=50 message=/boot/message other=/dev/hda1 label=windows table=/dev/hda image=/boot/vmlinuz label=linux root=/dev/hda4 append="" read-only

To start on Windows you just have to change the default"variable to:

boot=/dev/hda map=/boot/map install=/boot/boot.b default=windows prompt timeout=50 message=/boot/message other=/dev/hda1 label=windows table=/dev/hda image=/boot/vmlinuz label=linux root=/dev/hda4 append="" read-only

After saving the file configuration /etc/liloonf, you need to restart lilo for the changes to take place.

Type in the following command in a terminal (under root):

/sbin/lilo -v

For Grub

Edit the configuration file base upon the version used:

/boot/grub/grubonf or /boot/grub/menu.lst.

Substitute the value of the default variable par by the number corresponding to the specific system you want to load (note that it always begins with "0" )

From the following example the system loaded will be Linux :

default=0 timeout=10 splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz # section to load linux # entry 0 title Linux (2.4.18-5.47) root (hd0,0) kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-5.47 ro root=/dev/sda2 initrd /initrd-2.4.18-5.47.img # section to load Windows 2000 # entry 1 title windows rootnoverify (hd0,0) chainloader +1

To start up with Windows simply change the value of the default variable:

default=1 timeout=10 splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz # section to load linux # entry 0 title Linux (2.4.18-5.47) root (hd0,0) kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-5.47 ro root=/dev/sda2 initrd /initrd-2.4.18-5.47.img # section to load Windows 2000 # entry 1 title windows rootnoverify (hd0,0) chainloader +1

Just save your configuration. When using Grub, note that changes are made automatically, no need to restart your system.

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