[Suggestion] Windows disappeared - please add GRUB options

[Andrew Lohmann]

With recent installations or updates of any Linux, At first start up Windows and any other operating system is not displayed. This is an awful put off for a new user who then has to delve into terminal having possibly never seen or used anything like a text entry consol.

viewtopic.php?t=161598

Please put an option at installation or update time to give user some options or do nothing and the installation default to as it was probing for all operating systems. For example, use the GUI that Mageia has to configure GRUB, perhaps offering more e.g.

• Just list this OS

• Just probe for OSs on the current HD

• Probe for all OSs on the PC

• Chain to other Grubs on other HDs.

Plus all the options Mageia and MX Linux GUIs offer and remember last booted OS.

[wizard10000]

I think the thing to do here would probably be to file a wishlist bug against debian-installer. reportbug is a handy tool that makes this pretty easy.

Also, I'm gonna move this thread to the Installation subforum - this subforum is to request changes to the forum, not to Debian

[ann_droid]

Hi

Is this the kind of thing you mean ???

Code: Select all

Answer
To add OS probing to your GRUB configuration file, follow these steps:
Edit the GRUB configuration file:

bash
sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Add or uncomment the following line:
text
GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false

Save the file and exit the text editor.

Update GRUB to apply the changes:

bash
sudo update-grub

OR

bash
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

[Andrew Lohmann]

Yes Ann,

Which is surely a big put off for a new user, who will be used to GUI's and Windows. I also add lines to remember the last boot, which is helpful with Windows which you may leave running as it restarts a number of times, it can do that without someone being in attendance. It is an unnecessary change after an update.

[ann_droid]

You make a good point.

[Andrew Lohmann]

I know also older Lenovo PCs don't support UEFI properly either, preferring Windows. Anyway, that is not what I am saying, but I am saying keep it easy for new users to switch to Linux without losing other instances of any other OS.

[wizard10000]

...I also add lines to remember the last boot, which is helpful with Windows which you may leave running as it restarts a number of times, it can do that without someone being in attendance.

You know, this is an outstanding idea for folks who are also booting Windows; I daily drive Sid and started using it when I had some issues with 8th gen Intel and the 6.12.6 kernel so I didn't have to manually select 6.12.5 while they got things fixed.

Would you mind sharing that short config change for our studio audience?

[Andrew Lohmann]

From this line comment it out in the grub configuration file, then add the next two lines.

# GRUB_DEFAULT=0 # Remember last choice

GRUB_DEFAULT=saved

GRUB_SAVEDEFAULT=true

[wizard10000]

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