Set Windows as Default OS when Dual Booting Ubuntu
When you install a dual-boot of Ubuntu, one of the frustrating things that you’ll immediately notice is that Ubuntu is now set as the default operating system in the Grub loader. There’s an easy way to switch back to using Windows as the default.
To make this change, you’ll first have to boot into Ubuntu, and then run the following command:
sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
Find this section of the file:
## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify ’saved’ instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command ’savedefault’.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to ’saved’ or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0
The important line is the last one. You will need to change that number 0 to match the Windows boot section. Typically it’s always going to be 4 on a default dual-boot configuration. Change this value to 4, and then save and reboot your machine. You should go into Windows instead of Ubuntu automatically.
Note: The blocks at the bottom of the file match the items in the menu. You can change this value to match whichever item you want as default, just remember that numbering starts at 0.
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All I needed, thank you!
Funny, I’m struggling with the annoying sequence of Windows booting by default.
hi there everyone. im new in linux and installed ubuntu.
i just wanted to know what is the syntax of doing that command on how to change the default OS
thanks
i already got it. thanks i just made a mistake in typing .lst.
hi,
I tried editing the file thourgh the file browser, but I couldnt open menu list file with write permission.
even though i am the only user (owner)
Hi there…
I am a newbie to Ubuntu / Kubuntu and linux completely. I’ve installed Ubuntu as dual boot to Windows XP. The installation went smoothly. I’ve Windows XP on a Sata HDD and I’ve install Ubuntu on a IDE (Sec. Master) HDD. In addition to this I’ve got two Data storage disks ie: 1X SATA HDD & 1X IDE HDD.
My problem is that when I restart my PC and want to choose to load Windows XP I get a “NTDLR is missing” message and I’ve to restart. How do I solve this problem?
Thank you in advance
Regards
Neil
Hi Neil,
A quick search of ubuntuforums.org reveals that this problem can have several causes. Here is a link to the most common:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=450329
I hope this helps.
Matt
Murali – you have to open it via terminal, because normal users (yes, even the owner) do not have full permissions. Full permissions are granted only to root, and the simplest way to do things as root is to launch them with sudo.
thanks nospoon. got it working a while back.
This helped me out. Thanks!
When I run the command it brings up a menu.Ist file in a text editor, but its blank and I can’t edit anything.
I went through dozens of websites and this is the only and first one that clearly explained how do fix this issue and it worked perfectly. Thanks a ton.
Hello, please help me… I am super new to Linux… I installed Ubuntu on my PC and I am affraid that all of my files are gone. I used to run XP and now I can’t find any of my files. Can anyone please tell me how to switch back to Windows just so that I can see my files again???
Thank you so much,
Mali
same for me! can find winxp anymore
thanks a lot. very clear explanation. seconds i did it.
Thanks for the response so quick. Works Fine
I guess this number 4 would quickly go out of sync once you upgrade ubuntu (kernel). That means you will have to keep incrementing this number every time you got a new kernel through update process.
I believe there is a better way, but can’t recollect.. Anyone?
Satya: It might be easier and neater to just remove the new kernels entirely.
Jack – why would someone want to remove their newly installed kernel(s)? I agree with Satya; there is sure to be a better way to do this, or at least I hope there is. Or you’ll need to go LILO. Great little article apart from this minor inconvenience.
esau: My mistake, I meant old ones that you won’t be using any more.
Regards
Surely it is not better to use the following:
default saved
This boots what ever entry has been saved using the command:
savedefault
Window is by default saved using savedefault in a Debian/Ubuntu /boot/grub/menu.lst
Mali and rob-
It depends on if you used the wubi ubuntu installer or the partitioner/full install. If you used Wubi (Otherwise known as “Install in side Windows”) then all of your XP files will be in the directory “/host/Documents and Settings/@@” where @@ is your username. If you used the full install, you have to mount the other partition by going to the “Places” menu on the top panel and clicking on the ## GB media where ## is the size of the XP partition. Then there should be a shortcut to it on your desktop. If this is disabled and the shortcut does not appear, then you can go to /media/disk in the file browser and drag a shortcut out to your desktop.
Hope this helps!
any ideas on how to change the boot loader if you where stupid enough to remove Ubuntu???
thx
/m
MIke, not sure if this helps but my ubuntu on this list is shown as
:
## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false
## ## End Default Options ##
title Ubuntu 8.10
uuid f4151833-890f-4e9d-b6bb-84faf6f992fd
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-9-generic root=UUID=f4151833-890f-4e9d-b6bb-84faf6f992fd ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-9-generic
quiet
### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
I just cut and paste menu of windows and store it above this:
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-16-generic
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=UUID=7fd45131-277a-46a7-b01a-bc7eeaf39669 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic
quiet
so become this:
title Microsoft Windows
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1
title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-16-generic
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic root=UUID=7fd45131-277a-46a7-b01a-bc7eeaf39669 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-16-generic
quiet
but how do you run or start sudo gedit?
just need to know how to follow these instructions?
Click Applications –> Accesories –> Terminal
Hi guys I have question for UBUNTU experts people,. I recently installed Ubuntu and i lost my old win XP os & data.Luckily i have backup my data file before installed Ubuntu. My question is HOW TO INSTALL WIN XP OR VISTA WITHOUT remove UBUNTU.Even i tried to made partition in UBUNTU but no success. Also I would like to know how i can make partition in UBUNTU.
Waiting for answer.
Thanks in advanced.
Raj
Excellent posting . Simply superb. I succeeded in doing that. I made XP as first boot. … Thank you very much …………… VARMA
HI raj ,
just follow this link. I found it useful.
E:\soft\ubuntu_boot_help\how_to_dual_boot_windows_xp_and_linux_xp_installed_first.htm
It may help you ….
Regards …….. VARMA
HI dudes,
any one can help me out..
i have installed two Operating systems, i.e., server 2003 and XP…. By using server 2003 i have installed oracle apps. for some days i have worked convienently. after few days i had a problem that my XP has stopped working. i tried to re-install, but it is not accepting now.. after few days Sound drivers has stopped working in server 2003. i tried to re-install, it is also not accepting.
But XP is there in the boot list..
Thanks for this. Works great! Cheers
if you are having issues with upgrading the kernel moving the indexes so that xp is no longer default, you could take the xp entry, and move it up to be the first one, and move the default back to 0
put it between these two lines:
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST
(here)
### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
so, after the move, mine looks like this
…
…
…
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1
### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
…
…
…
I want it to be remove from my computer.
The Ubuntu crowd tries to be very helpful to neophytes, but their explanations seem to start one step too late. They say what to put into the COMMAND line but don’t say how to get to the command line. I want to boot into Windows.
I tried to edit this, and i get it loaded, but when I go down to where it says:
default 0
I can’t change it. I try to go with it with the cursor and it wont change.
It seems that the number cant be changed no matter what I do.
Is there another way to change this setting?
Thanks buddy!! Thanks for sharing the info.. Was really helpful.
Just wana to say thanks
I have a somewhat different problem. I installed ubuntu alongside windows half and half, and upgraded the windows partition to windows 7. Now when the computer starts up i no longer have the option of picking an OS to begin with. The only way I can access ubuntu now is through the cd, and that’s still just the disc version. How can i switch ubuntu back to the default?
I change the 0 to 4 and it will not let me save, i tryed not changing anything and it will not let me save what did i do wrong?