Ubuntu – Hide GRUB2 menu UNLESS you hold down Shift key: how to make this happen

bootdual-bootgrub2

I have a Ubuntu – Windows 7 dual-boot set-up, and I would like to have it that my laptop would boot up Windows 7 unless I press down the Shift key right after boot and bring up the Grub2 menu from which I can choose Ubuntu.

I researched on Grub2 and options for etc/default/grub and I have tried playing around with combinations with the GRUB_TIMEOUT and GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT values, but to no avail. I tried setting the GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT higher than the GRUB_TIMEOUT thinking that both countdown start simultaneously, but no – GRUB_TIMEOUT only starts after the other is done.

Is this behavior achievable?

If so, how?

Best Answer

I think that I found a simpler resolution. Modify the following lines in the file /etc/default/grub :

GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0.0

GRUB_TIMEOUT=0.0

Of course we finally run an update-grub. It works on my PC.

Related Solutions

Dual Boot – How to Hide Grub Menu in Ubuntu 14.04

Normally if you had only one OS running the option GRUB_TIMEOUT=0 would work. If GRUB 2's os-prober identifies additional operating systems while running the /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober script the hidden menu timeout feature is disabled by conditional statements. This also disables the ability to use the Shift key to display the menu during boot. Users with multiple operating systems wishing to hide the menu can find script edits on various forums which will allow them to add a hidden timeout feature to the boot sequence.

Check this answer if it helps you.

Ubuntu – How to hide grub unless key is pressed

You need to make:

GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=5
GRUB_TIMEOUT=0

Then, when you switch the computer on, pres ESC to enter to the boot menu, otherwise, the computer will boot in the default selection.

For sake of simplicity, you can change those values easily with Grub Customizer

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:danielrichter2007/grub-customizer
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install grub-customizer

In the tab General, click on advanced settings, then, select active the following keys and update the values to:

GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT = 5
GRUB_TIMEOUT = 0

Optional, to display a counter showing the remaining seconds while you can press ESC, set:

GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET = false

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Dual Boot – How to Hide Grub Menu in Ubuntu 14.04

Ubuntu – How to hide grub unless key is pressed

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