You can display grub menu at boot by editing the file /etc/default/grub so that it always appears automatically:
Set the grub timeout to 10 (seconds) to have enough time, not to 2 as shown in the guide.
Hi @Forpli
I still get this error when I enter sudo nano /etc/default/grub so that option is not yet available to me.
This is very odd- Nano is 100% included in Zorin OS.
What is the terminal response to
sudo apt install nano
Thanks @Aravisian
After that I ran sudo apt install nano and got this result.
Should I run 'sudo apt autoremove" as suggested in those screen shots?
I had not looked at the photo of the earlier error message as command line is a foreign language to me so meaningless. I just took a look and see that many (all) of the errors suggest the files were not available from the Australian download site. Should I try the updates again in a few days or is the issue at my end?
Thanks again
Mi
Nano was not installed on your system, but it is now. So you can continue with
sudo nano /etc/default/grub
I wouldn't use the autoremove command if you are not sure what the packages are, which will be removed, it can be dangerous.
Thank you @Forpli
Rather safe than sorry at this stage.
Ran that string you listed and hope it will not cause problems as I am still dual booting even though I only use Windows rarely now. I am going to add win7 as a virtual drive as soon as I work out how as I cannot find Linux replacements for two programs at present. One I am close to replacing though as soon as I work out how to operate the Linux program. One thing Windows software excels at is manuals and tutorials and far to many Linux programs have neither..
Cheers
Mi
I just noticed something in the guide that you don’t need to do. In point 3 they remove quiet splash from the line which begins with GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT. You can keep that line as it is:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
I'm sorry that I haven't seen that earlier. When you remove quiet splash you see many terminal lines during boot.
After you have saved the file as shown in the link and quit the nano editor, don't forget to run
sudo update-grub
to apply the changes.
When you reboot next time the grub menu should be shown.
Hi @Forpli
Sorry but it seems like I have more newbie problems.
It is some 12 hours since I ran that script sudo nano /etc/default/grub and left the computer running overnight.
I cannot see how to edit the screen as per
I looked at https://askubuntu.com/questions/81660/how-can-i-edit-my-grub-bootloader-entries-hide-rename-remove and that is fossilised so probably of no use. How to Configure the GRUB2 Boot Loader's Settings is much more current but depends on access to the command prompt which I cannot see.
I went to close Terminal and got the below error message. I have kept Terminal open pending your reply. I do not know if there is more to the install message or if it is followed by a command prompt as I cannot scroll down.
So what do I do now?
I am too scared to reboot before you and/or @Aravisian tell me it is safe to in case it makes things worse.
Thanks
Mi
The terminal command
sudo nano /etc/default/grub
Opens the Grub File in an editor program so that you can edit it. It does not run any other process.
sudo is SuperUserDO, as in, Do This,
nano is the editor software. Calling on Nano using sudo means that you elevated to Admin privileges and launched the editor.
The editor will open blank without a file - but the command above specifies a tree path: /etc/default, so it moves to the etc folder, then inside, that, to the default named folder.
This folder contains the file grub, which completes the path.
It is now open in your terminal editor.
To make changes (edit) the file, use the Arrow Keys to move the cursor.
Arrow key down to GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE and change that value to menu
The GRUB_TIMEOUT - change that value to 10, which can easily be done by typing a 1 right before the existing 0.
This File will not tolerate typo's... So proof read.
Ensure that when you are finished, it looks exactly like:
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
Tap ctl+o to overwrite. Then tap enter to save current configuration.
Tap ctl+x to exit the editor. The terminal will revert to its normal look.
Now run
sudo update-grub
to make grub enable the changes you saved in the grub file.
What this will do is when you reboot - you will not have to stab that poor esc key to death - the grub menu should appear as default at boot.
Hi @Aravisian and @Forpli
It now hangs at either the word Zorin or the small strobing Z every time I try to let GRUB run to completion.
I have done multiple reboots and tried most of the options in this panel. I do not need space on the Z disk or networking and would not know what to do at the shell prompt.
Error message was
Repair and Update did nothing as far as I could see.
Everything else seemed normal to me. System returned
Have you any idea of what I am doing wrong?
Thanks
Mi
Nano is an integral inclusion in Zorin OS.
That it was inexplicably missing makes me wonder about the stability of your system.
The symptoms you describe sound like a Grpahics loading issue. However, that Nano was uninstalled raises questions.
Had you removed/uninstalled software prior to these troubles ?
Hanging at that point after installation may mean you need an extra command or two after quiet splash in the grub routine. I know @Aravisian said there were problems with consistently using nomodeset but perhaps he has other suggestions. I have to use acpi=noirq but everyone's situation is different.
My other thought is that now you have the grub menu working normally it may be automatically picking up the absolute newest kernel and I'm not sure which kernel you found to be the one that works. If you choose the advanced options menu item it gives you a choice and you can pick the one that you found worked best.
If that is the issue you can add a couple of lines to grub to save your choice and than default to it next time.
As you said, every machine can be different... We would need to narrow down the actual issue.
The nomodeset parameter broadly disables Kernel ModeSetting, which means that acceleration or other GPU driven process are reduced to basic and simple functionality. Works for troubleshooting and getting logged in to access the computer - but no good for CAD, Gaming, Rendering, etc.
Hi @Aravisian
I have not installed or removed any software, other than through auto-update for several weeks due to a number of factors outside of computing.
Given that the screenshot showed that the AU Ubuntu portal was not delivering some update material could that have been a factor?
I have marked the problem as solved because the last three reboots all worked correctly.
I would like to thank all those who provided advice because I did not have a clue what was going on.
Cheers
Mi
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I have been pretty much off line for a couple of weeks but during that time the problem has got worse to the point it always fails unless I go in to the GRUB menu, select recover, network, fix and then boot. That naturally puts up the warning
Everything then works fine except the graphics which leads me to wonder if the issue is somehow related to the on board graphics on my motherboard? Would a separate graphics card solve the issue given the Dell U3223 monitor is much newer than the (Gigabyte B150M-D3H) motherboard?
Any thoughts and recommendations are welcome.
Thanks
Mi
Unfortunately, I don't know what might help you at the moment.
Scrolling up, I am reminded of nano being mysteriously missing.
And to me, this looks like a drive developing bad blocks. Ands that could account for missing packages - inability to boot and even graphics issues...
I unmarked the solution post since this issue is clearly not solved.
Hi @Aravisian and @Forpli
I MAY have fixed the problem.
I have been complaining to my computer tech for some time that the power supply appears suspect. With the cover off I can see the CPU fan physically stop and the tech keeps saying everything tests perfectly even though my windows C: drive and four data hard drives have failed in the last couple of month. In each case it was a data drive and its matching mirror so I have lost not just the data but the backup. He said fan only appeared to stop due to strobing.
Queue loud grinding sounds and fan stopped yesterday and I threw a wobbly. Stuck my finger on the CPU fan and it WAS stopped. Another data disk destroyed though I caught it before the backup duplicated the dud data. New power supply fitted. Computer boots perfectly five times on end. Mumble @#$%^&. Lots of bad blocks on Zorin and Windows and data drives.
The only up side is that if it continues to boot properly for the next week my Win drive will become a data drive. Yay.
Fingers, and toes, crossed.
Mi
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Hopefully it's working again now with the new power supply . That doesn't sound good at all. So many hard drives failing...