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12 Replies Last post: Oct 21, 2008 7:50 PM by chipbennett

number6

2,239 posts since
Mar 28, 2008

Oct 17, 2008 4:57 PM

OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

I have OpenSuSE Linux and Windows XP Home SP3 installed on a PC. OpenSuSE is the first and default option in the boot menu. How can I switch the default to Windows?

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Reply Tags: boot, menu, opensuse

crazy4laptops

1,436 posts since
Nov 20, 2007

1. Oct 18, 2008 7:13 AM

in response to: number6

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

take a look here

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number6

2,239 posts since
Mar 28, 2008

2. Oct 18, 2008 8:28 AM

in response to: crazy4laptops

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

I tried to do what it said but in the first line it told me to open /boot/grub/grub.conf and grub.conf isn't in the grub folder. What should I do instead?

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chipbennett

210 posts since
Oct 5, 2007

3. Oct 20, 2008 6:40 AM

in response to: number6

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

number6 wrote:
I tried to do what it said but in the first line it told me to open /boot/grub/grub.conf and grub.conf isn't in the grub folder. What should I do instead?

I think grub.conf is located in /etc or /etc/grub in OpenSUSE - have a look there.

Note: I'm not sure if you need to change grub.conf or grub/menu.lst (I think that's the name).

IIRC, you need to change which grub entry is highlighted/selected by default.

You can't make the Windows bootloader run before grub; however, if the Windows option is selected by default in grub, then grub will load, and then after the time-out, grub will hand-off to the Windows boot loader.

Dell*buntu Inspiron 1420n, running Kubuntu 8.04

number6

2,239 posts since
Mar 28, 2008

4. Oct 20, 2008 11:30 AM

in response to: chipbennett

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

You were right. grub.conf was located in /etc. When I tried to open it it said: Couldn't display "/etc/grub.conf".There is no application installed for this file type.

How do I edit grub.conf?

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chipbennett

210 posts since
Oct 5, 2007

5. Oct 20, 2008 12:22 PM

in response to: number6

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

number6 wrote:
You were right. grub.conf was located in /etc. When I tried to open it it said: Couldn't display "/etc/grub.conf".There is no application installed for this file type.

How do I edit grub.conf?

First, you need to open the file with Root access.

Second, when opening with Root access, any text editor should work fine. (I use Kate in Kubuntu/KDE. I think GEdit would work in GNOME.)

I don't know OpenSUSE at all, but my guess is that the error you encountered was indicative of trying to open/edit the file without root.

Dell*buntu Inspiron 1420n, running Kubuntu 8.04

number6

2,239 posts since
Mar 28, 2008

6. Oct 20, 2008 12:29 PM

in response to: chipbennett

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

Do you know how to get Root access?

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piyushsingh

2,964 posts since
Jul 21, 2007

7. Oct 20, 2008 12:34 PM

in response to: number6

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

You may check this thread - changing grub boot order.
I had mentioned about ubuntu there but i guess it will be similar for SUSE also.

number6

2,239 posts since
Mar 28, 2008

8. Oct 20, 2008 4:53 PM

in response to: piyushsingh

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

That thread looks like it applies but I can't open menu.lst as the thread suggests because OpenOffice denies me access. Maybe, as chipbennett says, I need Root access. I'm logged in as administrator. Do you know how to gain Root access?

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chipbennett

210 posts since
Oct 5, 2007

9. Oct 21, 2008 1:33 PM

in response to: number6

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

number6 wrote:
That thread looks like it applies but I can't open menu.lst as the thread suggests because OpenOffice denies me access. Maybe, as chipbennett says, I need Root access. I'm logged in as administrator. Do you know how to gain Root access?

Are you using GNOME or KDE?

I know that, in KDE (Kubuntu, at least), using either Dolphin or Konqueror (file explorers), I can right-click on a file or folder, and the context menu will have an "open as root" or "edit as root" option. I am unsure of Nautilus has the same functionality.

Two options:

1) Open your file explorer, navigate to / (root directory), right click on /etc, and select "open as root". If the option is available, a new instance of the explorer will open, prompt you for your password, and then display the contents of /etc with root access.

2) Use the command line to open a root-access instance of your text editor. Open a command prompt, and type "gksudo gedit" (works in Ubuntu) to open gedit with root access. I think, based on this thread, the command in OpenSUSE would be "gnomesu gedit" to open gedit with root access (or if that doesn't work, try "kdesu nautilus" to open a root-access instance of Nautilus).

I'm not sure I can be much more help than that. I really don't know my way around non-Debian based distros.

Dell*buntu Inspiron 1420n, running Kubuntu 8.04

number6

2,239 posts since
Mar 28, 2008

10. Oct 21, 2008 2:21 PM

in response to: chipbennett

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

Are you using GNOME or KDE?

I use GNOME.

Two options:

1) Open your file explorer, navigate to / (root directory), right click on /etc, and select "open as root". If the option is available, a new instance of the explorer will open, prompt you for your password, and then display the contents of /etc with root access.

2) Use the command line to open a root-access instance of your text editor. Open a command prompt, and type "gksudo gedit" (works in Ubuntu) to open gedit with root access. I think, based on this thread, the command in OpenSUSE would be "gnomesu gedit" to open gedit with root access (or if that doesn't work, try "kdesu nautilus" to open a root-access instance of Nautilus).

I'm not sure I can be much more help than that. I really don't know my way around non-Debian based distros.

I used the second option and opened /etc/grub.conf. and was surprised to see that it was blank. I added the line suggested in this thread (default=1) and rebooted. OpenSUSE is still the default. Did I do something wrong?

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number6

2,239 posts since
Mar 28, 2008

11. Oct 21, 2008 2:49 PM

in response to: chipbennett

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

Please disregard my last post. I should have edited the /boot/grub/menu.lst instead of /etc/grum.conf. I corrected the line in menu.lst, rebooted, and now Windows is the default OS. Thank you very much. You've been very helpful!

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chipbennett

210 posts since
Oct 5, 2007

12. Oct 21, 2008 7:50 PM

in response to: number6

Re: OpenSuSE is the default OS. Can I switch it to Windows?

number6 wrote:
Please disregard my last post. I should have edited the /boot/grub/menu.lst instead of /etc/grum.conf. I corrected the line in menu.lst, rebooted, and now Windows is the default OS. Thank you very much. You've been very helpful!

I'm glad you were able to get it figured out! I was kind of stabbing in the dark there.