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Re: linux image upgrade overwrites menu.lst



Instead of just sending a mail, I would suggest that next time you feel 
there is an issue with a package, you file a bug report.

On Wednesday 09 May 2007 20:44, webmaster@4seasonsconsulting.com wrote:
> Your latest update package has what I consider a BUG!
>
> Some of us have carefully-crafted /boot/grub/menu.lst files;
> mine had 6 entries spread across multiple drives. To just
> write over these files TWICE without asking or saving them to
> another non-existing extension is WRONG!

It rather seems that what the update is doing is the way it was designed. 
And that design _does_ allow for custom lines in a menu.lst file next to 
the default Debian kernel lines.

If you look at a default Debian menu.lst file, it will have something like 
the following in it:

<snip>
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
[...]
### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
</snip>

If you just follow the instruction in that first line, you'll have no 
problems. It's even possible that you can delete the AUTOMAGIC section 
altogether to avoid any automatic changes, but I'm not sure of that.
Anything that you add or modify _between_ those comments *will* be 
changed, but like I said, that is by design.

Attached my own grub menu file as an example.

Cheers,
FJP

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#            grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
#            and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default		1

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout		10

# Pretty colours
color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line)  and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
#      password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title		Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root		(hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader	+1
#
# title		Linux
# root		(hd0,1)
# kernel	/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/mapper/strider-root ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,4)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
##      lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(single-user) single
# altoptions=(vga mode) vga=791 quiet
# altoptions=(single-user mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-4-686
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.18-4-686 root=/dev/mapper/strider-root ro 
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.18-4-686
savedefault

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-4-686 (vga mode)
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.18-4-686 root=/dev/mapper/strider-root ro vga=791 quiet
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.18-4-686
savedefault

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-4-686 (single-user mode)
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.18-4-686 root=/dev/mapper/strider-root ro single
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.18-4-686
savedefault

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-3-686
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.18-3-686 root=/dev/mapper/strider-root ro 
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.18-3-686
savedefault

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-3-686 (vga mode)
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.18-3-686 root=/dev/mapper/strider-root ro vga=791 quiet
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.18-3-686
savedefault

title		Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.18-3-686 (single-user mode)
root		(hd0,4)
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.18-3-686 root=/dev/mapper/strider-root ro single
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.18-3-686
savedefault

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title		Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda1
title		Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
root		(hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader	+1

# Entries manually added by FJP
title           Debian Installer, test 2.6.18 (hda3)
root            (hd0,2)
kernel          /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-4-686 root=/dev/hda3 ro
initrd          /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-4-686
boot

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