Grub-2 to Grub-0.97. Pkg in Synaptics for that?



Hello, Any...


PRELIMINARY
I use Grub 0.97 for handling all my multi-boot needs. I use it because it is simple, boots all O/S's on my system, and it's simple.

A couple of days back I loaded another distro (for trial only, Antix is going great) but pressed the wrong option near the end of install - and installed Grub-2. It wasn't such a careless accident; it was one of those if-it-goes-either-way-I'll-fix-it-later" moments, derived from a confusing prompt during install. I am reasonably sure I can use a disk-based-tools pack to re-install Grub 0.97 without trauma (from previous experience).

However, today I noticed in the Synaptic Pkg Mgr on Antix that there is a downloadable package grub-gfxboot, version 0.97. To me, that looks like it could be the"Grub" I use.

QUESTION-1
If that is so, can anyone tell me how that install of grub-gfxboot is used? Do I download the package whereupon a GUI is provided (in menus) for that? Does it provide a Command Line program? Just how is it installed and used? [This is a critical operation, so precise info would be appreciated.]

.
SIDE-ISSUE OF RELEVANCE

QUESTION-2
Further, I notice that above that download in Synaptic is grub-customizer for Grub-2. On my system, although loaded, it does not show up in any menu. [So I located it in the filesystem (/usr/bin) and ran it, but I'm curious why it is downloaded but isn't in the menus?]

.
SIDE-ISSUE OF RELEVANCE

QUESTION-3
Furthermore, now that I have learned how to use xorg.conf to get my graphics driver (and other components) working in Antix, and now also seen the config setup inside Grub-2, it seems to me that Grub-2 is almost a merge of Grub-0.97 plus xorg.conf. (Perhaps not a precise"merge", but it does almost the same job as the two together?) Is that about right?


WRAP
For me, these issues are tied together because, without any driving need to keep the Grub-2 setup, I still want to downgrade it to Grub-0.97 because that is simple and easy to use.

These matters all tie together IF I am able to use the Antix grub-gfxboot package for that purpose.

So, can you advise?

Regards,

boombaby wrote:Grub-2 to Grub-0.97. Pkg in Synaptics for that?



Hello, Any...


PRELIMINARY
I use Grub 0.97 for handling all my multi-boot needs. I use it because it is simple, boots all O/S's on my system, and it's simple.

A couple of days back I loaded another distro (for trial only, Antix is going great) but pressed the wrong option near the end of install - and installed Grub-2. It wasn't such a careless accident; it was one of those if-it-goes-either-way-I'll-fix-it-later" moments, derived from a confusing prompt during install. I am reasonably sure I can use a disk-based-tools pack to re-install Grub 0.97 without trauma (from previous experience).

However, today I noticed in the Synaptic Pkg Mgr on Antix that there is a downloadable package grub-gfxboot, version 0.97. To me, that looks like it could be the"Grub" I use.

QUESTION-1
If that is so, can anyone tell me how that install of grub-gfxboot is used? Do I download the package whereupon a GUI is provided (in menus) for that? Does it provide a Command Line program? Just how is it installed and used? [This is a critical operation, so precise info would be appreciated.]

yes, grub-gfxboot will bring grub-legacy .97 in. No, there is no menu entry for it. Grub2 will be removed. grub-customizer I do not believe will work with grub-legacy.
.

SIDE-ISSUE OF RELEVANCE

QUESTION-2
Further, I notice that above that download in Synaptic is grub-customizer for Grub-2. On my system, although loaded, it does not show up in any menu. [So I located it in the filesystem (/usr/bin) and ran it, but I'm curious why it is downloaded but isn't in the menus?]

.
SIDE-ISSUE OF RELEVANCE

good question. it should be in the Preferences Folder (that's where it shows up on mine).

QUESTION-3
Furthermore, now that I have learned how to use xorg.conf to get my graphics driver (and other components) working in Antix, and now also seen the config setup inside Grub-2, it seems to me that Grub-2 is almost a merge of Grub-0.97 plus xorg.conf. (Perhaps not a precise"merge", but it does almost the same job as the two together?) Is that about right?

nope. grub customizer works with grub. xorg.conf goes with the X server. Grub2 allows for a lot of things that grub-legacy can't handle, not the least of which is UEFI boot support, if at the cost of some"ease of use".

WRAP
For me, these issues are tied together because, without any driving need to keep the Grub-2 setup, I still want to downgrade it to Grub-0.97 because that is simple and easy to use.

These matters all tie together IF I am able to use the Antix grub-gfxboot package for that purpose.

So, can you advise?

Regards,

After you install grub-gfxboot, you will need to run to generate the grub menu.lst file with the Operating System entries

and
where sdx is the device name where you want grub installed to the mbr. For instance, on my system it would be

q1 - No, You need grub-legacy

========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"https://packages.debian.org/jessie/grub-legacy"
linktext was:"https://packages.debian.org/jessie/grub-legacy"
====================================


q2 - You will probably need to edit /usr/share/applications/grub-customizer.desktop

Change NoDisplay=True to NoDisplay=False

q3 - I wouldn't say that. You can use xorg.conf with and without grub2 and grub-legacy

grubgfxboot (or better gfxboot) is used on live antiX boot menu

anticapitalista wrote:q1 - No, You need grub-legacy

========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"https://packages.debian.org/jessie/grub-legacy"
linktext was:"https://packages.debian.org/jessie/grub-legacy"
====================================

you know what's funny. I just install grub-gfxboot in a vm to try, and it worked straight away. grub-legacy still shows uninstalled. Did you guys do a wrappup package at some point with everything in it?

You know, dolphin_oracle and anticapitalista, here's something else that's funny. [Remember, I'm a Pnewbie (ie Post-Newbie; silent"n"; copyright waived) so not many things in Linux are"funny" yet - they are still pretty stressful.]


Given dolphin_oracle's note about the funny thing with his"grub_gfxboot" download/install, I also note another funny thing - a couple actually...


1.
The first funny thing is, despite dolphin_oracle's first post comment about having a"Preferences" folder (I assume you mean in the Menu folders)"Preferences" is not showing on my Antix. [So I guess I'll have to modify that in MenuLibre or something at that level? Yes?]


2.
The second funny thing directly relates to dolphin_oracle's note about"grub-gfxboot". I wanted to do as anticapitalista said, and download the"grub-legacy" pkg. However, at the website (ie the link recommended) it said (roughly) "preferred to load via a pkg manager". So I went looking for it in Synaptic and found it -"grub-legacy". (I did NOT select"grub-gfxboot", just"grub-legacy".) Synaptic installed it, and also automatically removed a PART of Grub-2.

From that point I became confused between dolphin_oracle and anticapitalista - and the next step. [Not a complaint - just noting I was confused.] So I went looking on the Internet for backup info, but became more and more confused. As I dug deeper and deeper (to ensure I got it right) I finally stopped digging (my grave) when I ended up at "chrooting" and "chroot jails" (and some massive argument Developers were having about THAT!). Duh? What's THAT all about!!

So, I took a step back, and re-typed one more search, specifically for grub 0.97 install and ended up here...


========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://pclosmag.com/html/issues/201101/page10.html"
linktext was:"http://pclosmag.com/html/issues/201101/page10.html"
====================================


Since I had installed and used PCLinuxOS 2014 (ie 32-bit) recently and found it to be bloody good - until I learned that 32-bit WITH my olde graphics card (you might know about that from this forum) aren't supported. (Still a very nice distro system though!)

Anyway, back to Antix and Grub 0.97. and the"counter" funny part to dolphin_oracle's funny part...

After the install by Synaptic, and as per recommendation in the above link, at a terminal I typed-in"grub". Sure enough at the prompt I find that Grub 0.97 is now installed on my Antix setup. As far as I can see, now I just follow-through on commands recommended by anticapitalista, dolph_lungren, and pclosmag - and I should have working Grub0.97 again.

(Unfortunately, just this second, I opened Grub-Customizer again, thinking it MIGHT NOW be for Grub-0.97, but it is still for G-2 (although a completely different GUI to the last time), so I immediately shut it down. Hope that doesn't cause a problem in the next step!)

.
So, to me, since my old"menu.lst" file is still intact, and since Grub-0.97 is installed (ready and waiting), and since Grub-2 has overrun the MBR, the next procedure is just to get the 0.97 MBR back. So setup should be as simple as...

grub
root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0)
quit

...which should re-install 0.97 into the MBR, and point it to 0,0

Right?

So, if you don't hear back from me in the next few minutes you'll know that I am reloading distros and W2K (and cussing all the way!).

Anyway, here goes. Geronimo!!!!.....

Too easy!

So, simply download the"grub-legacy" pkg using Synaptics (which also auto-removes Grub-2 components) then follow commands as in my previous post.

Now, shall I try to use MenuLibre (or something) to get the"Preferences" menu-option to show, or is there something else to do.

Antix still looks good.

Thanks each, and Regards,

boombaby wrote:Too easy!

So, simply download the"grub-legacy" pkg using Synaptics (which also auto-removes Grub-2 components) then follow commands as in my previous post.

Now, shall I try to use MenuLibre (or something) to get the"Preferences" menu-option to show, or is there something else to do.

Antix still looks good.

Thanks each, and Regards,

You don't have Menu>Applications>Preferences ? It should be the bottom entry. Here's the fluxbox and icewm versions

Hello, dolphin_oracle...

Thanks for responding.

OK. Our menus are different. I have attached a cropped image showing my main menu (at top-level as"Applications Menu"), with the Settings sub-section (which appears to be a close approximation of the menu slivver you demo'd).

On the basis of that I am satisfied that I may not be missing menu items - just that they are arranged differently. Why that is I do not know. I have not adjusted any menus - either with program or manually. (I have only used Synaptic to download packages - which I assume were"configured" appropriately into menus.)

Regards,
aka boombaby

ah, xfce menu.

look in"System"

No, dolph..., there is no"Preferences" folder/sub-folder anywhere.

There's no"Grub" anything in any menu either. (Nor would I expect that I suppose - unless there was a GUI to manage it.)

I did take a screenshot under"System" menu to show you but that is probably pointless; neither exists in any form, anywhere. If there is definitely supposed to be something then let me know (and I might start another thread for that).

The menu thing is now a side-issue in this topic. I'm happy that Grub-0.97 can be re-done so easily.

[In case any other LinUsers track this thread down (ie to change Grub-2 back to Grub-0.97 for some likewise"wierdy" reason) I'll add my final comment to caution that, in my prep-reading for this attempt I noticed discussion that Grub-0.97 may not work with disks over 2-TB, but I didn't absolutely confirm that. (For me,"non-issue".)]

All things being equal, Grub-0.97 re-install issue - solved!


Thanks, Each.
aka boombaby