A quick question about grub and updates.

txd · #1 24th May 2009, 09:02 PM

Hello everyone ive been using fedora for a while now.
Currently i have fedora 10 installed on my wind u100 netbook as a dualboot between xp and fedora. And it works great. But ive updated fedora and now theres 2 different versions of fedora on GRUB multiboot selector. both F10 but one old and one newer as far as i can see. My question is why does it make 2 fedoras. how can do so it only displays one of them.

Morten

PS when F11 is realesed will it automatically be installed via software update or how do i do it?

***glennzo*** · #2 24th May 2009, 09:19 PM

Fedora always keeps 2 kernels available. It's a fail safe of sorts so that if the new kernel fails to boot you can fall back to the older kernel. Have a look at the file /etc/yum.conf. There is a line in that file that reads

Code:

installonly_limit=2

This line sets the installed kernels to 2. If you are updating again and there is yet another kernel update, the oldest kernel will be removed and the 2 newest will be kept. You can change that number to whatever you wish or you can leave it as is.

To change what is displayed when you see the boot menu open a terminal and type

Code:

su -c 'gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst'

This is a text file. Change anything you like, carefully. You can, if you wish, totally remove the older kernel so that only one Fedora option will be displayed. Please do this only after confirming that the new kernel (the entire system for that matter) functions properly. Some of the more common edits to that file may be

Code:

timeout=n (countdown timer)
default=n (default OS to boot if timer counts down or if you just press enter)
hiddenmenu (hides the menu and just shows countdown timer)

***glennzo*** · #3 24th May 2009, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by txd

PS when F11 is realesed will it automatically be installed via software update or how do i do it?

You will need to obtain an installation DVD install Fedora 11.

txd · #4 24th May 2009, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennzo

You will need to obtain an installation DVD install Fedora 11.

but im using a netbook with no dvd or cd rom drive. Would be cool if theres was another way.
And thank you so much for the great answer

I can see now why theres 2. Its a good idea. I think i keep it that way

Morten

***glennzo*** · #5 24th May 2009, 10:09 PM

There are other ways to upgrade.

txd · #6 24th May 2009, 10:18 PM

oh like over the internet?

***glennzo*** · #7 24th May 2009, 10:28 PM

Yes. I believe you can just upgrade the system to Fedora 11 but I've never done it. Have a search of the forum using terms such as upgrade as search criteria.

Edit: Thinking about this a little more leads me to believe that you can easily upgrade the system just by enabling the rawhide repository, at least until Fedora 11 is actually released. Then rawhide will be Fedora 12.

txd · #8 24th May 2009, 11:09 PM

okay thanks ill try that

***glennzo*** · #9 24th May 2009, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by txd

okay thanks ill try that

Please research it first.

txd · #10 24th May 2009, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennzo

Please research it first.

I did some googleling

and i found something called PreUpgrade. it seems to be what im looking for. it enables you to upgrade to f11 without burning a dvd

***glennzo*** · #11 24th May 2009, 11:24 PM

Attaboy! I was thinking about preupgrade but I've not researched it at all so I don't really know anything about it. Nice work! Remember to save any critical data before jumping into the water.

txd · #12 24th May 2009, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennzo

Attaboy! I was thinking about preupgrade but I've not researched it at all so I don't really know anything about it. Nice work! Remember to save any critical data before jumping into the water.

Its seems like a very nice tool. Again thanks for your help. Yeah backup. Ill remember that