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So I'm trying to access the grub2 menu (or any boot menu for that matter) and I have tried most things I have found online.

I am running the latest version of ubuntu and it is the only OS so it always skips the Grub2 menu. I am trying to boot another version of a linux distro off a flash drive and cannot access the boot menu. I am sure the flash drive works because I have constantly used it on other occasions (tails os 1.3). What I have tried:

Hitting every key that people mention at start up (left shift hold/tap, right shift hold/tap, f12, f1, esc, del, space, enter) Nothing happens

Changing the /etc/default/grub hidden timeout to 10

changing the /etc/default/grub timeout to -1 (it is supposed to automatically enter grub2 at every startup)

Its funny because windows boot menu worked like a charm while I am having massive problems with ubuntu. Thanks for the help.

Julian Stirling
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Karl Schoeps
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3 Answers3

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Make sure you set both GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE and GRUB_TIMEOUT.

Finally, make sure you run sudo update-grub after editing Grub.

If the GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE option is set to menu, then GRUB will display the menu and then wait for the timeout set by GRUB_TIMEOUT.

  1. Make a backup...

    cp /etc/default/grub ~/grub.original

  2. Edit Grub with a text editor.

    gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub

  3. Change (or add) the following option, as shown...

    GRUB_TIMEOUT=10

  4. Change (or add) the following option, as shown...

    GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu

  5. If they are present, comment out the following (because they are deprecated)...

    # GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=<???>
# GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=<???>

  6. Save the file and exit the text editor.

  7. Update Grub...

    sudo update-grub

  8. Reboot.

Here is an example grub file, that I have tested, with these settings...

# /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
# For full documentation of the options in this file, see:
#   info -f grub -n 'Simple configuration'

# Execute 'sudo update-grub' after making changes.

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

# Uncomment to enable BadRAM filtering, modify to suit your needs
# This works with Linux (no patch required) and with any kernel that obtains
# the memory map information from GRUB (GNU Mach, kernel of FreeBSD ...)
#GRUB_BADRAM="0x01234567,0xfefefefe,0x89abcdef,0xefefefef"

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)
#GRUB_TERMINAL=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'
#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries
#GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY="true"

# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start
#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"
David Foerster
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Enterprise
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  • When I add the line about GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu and try to save it, it says, "Syntax error: newline unexpected" – Karl Schoeps Mar 23 '15 at 12:11
  • May be there is an error on a different line in your file, not necessarily the one you added? I tested these settings, and I have added the working grub file to the answer; hopefully that helps. Also, add to your question which version of Ubuntu are you using. – Enterprise Mar 23 '15 at 13:17
  • I am using the most current and stable version 14.10 – Karl Schoeps Mar 25 '15 at 01:53
  • I thought so, but just wanted to check. I tested the above file on 14.10, and I do see the grub menu screen with it. Try cutting and pasting it into Gedit (after you make a backup of your original file using "cp /etc/default/grub ~/grub.original", of course). And don't forget to run "sudo update-grub" afterwards. – Enterprise Mar 26 '15 at 01:16
  • Karl, 14.10 is not the most stable version... It's a staging version. See here for more info. – Fabby Mar 28 '15 at 10:21
  • Copy and pasting that line gave me some errors but it now goes to the grub2 menu so i am assuming that worked. Thanks – Karl Schoeps Apr 01 '15 at 01:25
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If you are trying to boot from a flash drive then you probably don't want to load the grub menu at all. Instead you can just put the USB higher in the boot order than the HDD and then boot directly off the USB drive.

When you first turn the machine on there should be a manufacturer screen that lists a setup keys. Press this key to enter the bios. In the bios, move USB to the top of the boot options.

If this doesn't work it is worth checking the boot flag is on on the USB in gparted or a similar program.

Julian Stirling
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  • There is no manufacturing screen. I have ubuntu already installed and am trying to boot a different version of linux off a usb that i am sure works already(i tried on windows) – Karl Schoeps Mar 25 '15 at 01:52
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When your machine boots, on the BIOS splash screen , just go to the BIOS boot menu (which is different from the BIOS menu) and choose USB. The PC will then just boot from the USB stick...

(As you didn't specify the exact machine and BIOS version, I can't look it up and tell you, but on most machines it's F9 or F12)

Fabby
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