Comments on: Howto Set Windows as Default OS when Dual Booting Ubuntu

By: Arun

Arun — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 13:48:37 +0000

Use the startup manager.. for default os.. It’s easier method…

By: Trustmeimadoctor

Trustmeimadoctor — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:37:58 +0000

I’m a newb running Ubuntu 10.4, and of course, menu.lst was blank. Go to ‘Ubuntu software center’ under Applications and search for ‘startup.’ You will see startup manager in the list. Install this and then open it (look under system - Administration). The second option down is default boot.

Thanks for all you who post answers and make it easier for us go learn!!!

By: srihari

srihari — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:21:22 +0000

@Sai Ram Kodipyaka, thanks buddy.. your info was pretty helpful.. I could set my default OS to windows.. It worked!!!!

By: Sai Ram Kodipyaka

Sai Ram Kodipyaka — Wed, 04 May 2011 13:38:50 +0000

menu.lst file will not be present in newer versions of grub.So if u try to open it you will get a blank file.
proceed as follows.
1.open /boot/grub/grub.cfg as root user.
2.type sudo gedit /boot/grubgrub.cfg in terminal to open it in write mode.
3.Now you can see something called menuentry which is nothing but different booting options like ubuntu generic,ubuntu memtest,windows etc. which is repeated 5 to 6 times in the format
###some text
menu entry
//some text related to menu entry
###some text
(Ctrl+f and type menuentry to find it)
4.Find the para which has menuentry with windows7/xp/vista(depending on your windows version).generally it will be the last entry.
5.Cut that para i.e., from
###some text
menuentry windows 7
//some related text
###some text
and paste it just before the para of ubuntu generic menuentry i.e., just above its ###.
6.save it.

Note:Keep a copy of the original file in case u want to restore the default.but by this technique u can change the boot order as u like.

By: Sandip

Sandip — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:53:02 +0000

I have also got blank menu.lst file, what can i do now?

By: shan

shan — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 07:16:26 +0000

please help!!
the menu.lst file does open. but it’s a blank page.. what do i do now?? i am new to ubuntu.. please do reply soon!!

By: MrPoyz

MrPoyz — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:33:38 +0000

I installed startup manager on Karmic, using the Software Manager.

Using the startup manager it was easy to change the default boot option.

/MrP

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:24:06 +0000

(Edit: I think startup manager is not yet available for Karmic.)

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:21:49 +0000

Or the easier way, just go to your software center (under the “Applications” menu. Go to “System Tools”, then select “startup-manager” from there.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:12:21 +0000

Startup manager works he just misspelled it.

sudo apt-get install startupmanager

there is no dash in between the startup and manager

By: Ashley

Ashley — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:35:12 +0000

Anyone who is getting the same
“You do not have the permissions necessary to save the file. Please check that you typed the location correctly and try again”
How can I fix this?

This is because you need to edit the file as root (or as a user who has sudo privileges) to change the file as root open up the terminal and type sudo -i (if you are not a sudo user then you will need to load up in safe mode and log in as root on the root shell option and then type adduser yourusernamehere admin, this will set the username you entered to admin and will give you the right to change system settings e.x.) after logging in as root using the sudo -i command type sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst edit the file and then save and exit. Reboot and see if it works, hope this helps!

By: Majkl

Majkl — Sat, 24 May 2008 05:00:55 +0000

Well, I guess you are not in as a root, therefore you cannot re save the menu.lst

Try it makes sense to me:

Hope this helps - I am learning by doing too. )

By: Abhilash

Abhilash — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:55:28 +0000

But it shows “Couldn’t find package startup-manager”
Please Help

By: asdasd

asdasd — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 21:03:12 +0000

sudo apt-get install startup-manager

By: tususpop

tususpop — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:45:49 +0000

i have the same problem “You do not have the permissions necessary to save the file. Please check that you typed the location correctly and try again”, how can i fix it PLASE! :’(

By: Matias

Matias — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 22:34:19 +0000

Hi,
When I try to save the change from dfault 0 to default 4 I get this message:
“You do not have the permissions necessary to save the file. Please check that you typed the location correctly and try again”
How can I fix this?
Thnx

By: infitro

infitro — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:47:12 +0000

i don’t have startup-manager in my ubuntu (v6), how do i get this startup-manager?

By: keke

keke — Sat, 19 May 2007 02:51:29 +0000

This is a easy way!

By: jaywee

jaywee — Sat, 19 May 2007 02:12:44 +0000

Maybe there is another easier way. Use startup-manager,below the “Boot options”,you can make a choice with “Default operating system”,choose windows xp, and all done!!