How To: Install and use gfxboot(Graphical Grub)

[merlwiz79]

Celena and Daryna
only need to edit gfxmenu /etc/grub/message.mint, after copying the gfxboot menu(message.*) file to /etc/grub

Only tested on Cassandra
Download grub-gfxboot:
Main(Gnome) Edition:
http://www.MegaShare.com/259377
http://rapidshare.com/files/50057089/gr ... -1_all.deb
http://www.box.net/shared/oo619zbyov

XFCE Community Edition:
http://www.MegaShare.com/259378
http://rapidshare.com/files/50057132/gr ... -1_all.deb
http://www.box.net/shared/sjrlbnycun

KDE Community Edition:
http://www.MegaShare.com/259376
http://rapidshare.com/files/50057063/gr ... -1_all.deb
http://www.box.net/shared/6i758dq1t2

My message.suse edited message files:
gfxmenu /boot/grub/message.minty Screenshot
http://www.MegaShare.com/259405
http://rapidshare.com/files/49590152/message.minty
http://www.box.net/shared/0h9mb0bgyt

gfxmenu /boot/grub/message.mintyblue Screenshot
http://www.MegaShare.com/259406
http://rapidshare.com/files/49590382/message.mintyblue
http://www.box.net/shared/y6xhg5esfa

gfxmenu /boot/grub/message.mint2 Screenshot
http://www.MegaShare.com/259404
http://rapidshare.com/files/50058987/message.mint2
http://www.box.net/shared/lmfqfnyany

My compiled message files:(currently still working on)
Currently there is no help(FIXED) and it doesn't stop the list from over writing the logo.(FIXED menu will scroll)
gfxmenu /boot/grub/message.mint1 Screenshot
http://www.MegaShare.com/260291
http://rapidshare.com/files/50282219/message.mint1

gfxmenu /boot/grub/message.mint1.1 Screenshot
http://www.MegaShare.com/260293
http://rapidshare.com/files/50282264/message.mint1.1

gfxmenu /boot/grub/message.mint1.2 Screenshot
http://www.MegaShare.com/260297
http://rapidshare.com/files/50290971/message.mint1.2


1. Start by backing up your current menu.lst

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sudo cp -pv /boot/grub/menu.lst /boot/grub/menu.lst.backup

2.Uninstall grub

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sudo aptitude remove grub

3. Install your grub-gfxboot .deb

• Double click on the file and click install

4. Copy the message file to you want to use /boot/grub (example used message.mint1)

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sudo cp message.mint1 /boot/grub/

5. Add line to beginning of /boot/grub/menu.lst and save file:(example used message.mint1)

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gfxmenu /boot/grub/message.mint1

Main:

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sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

XFCE CE:

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sudo mousepad /boot/grub/menu.lst

KDE CE:

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sudo kate /boot/grub/menu.lst

6. Setting up GRUB:
Open terminal:

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sudo grub

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find /boot/grub/stage1

use the (hdx,y) shown for the rest. Mine is (hd3,0)

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root (hdx,y)

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setup (hdx,y)

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quit

7. Installing Grub: (Mine is (hd3,0) so I use sdd for my installation)

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sudo grub-install /dev/sdx

Use this to help you find the correct place to install.

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(hd0)	/dev/sda
(hd1)	/dev/sdb
(hd2)	/dev/sdc
(hd3)	/dev/sdd
(hd4)	/dev/sde

8. Now reboot to see the Grub

Trouble shooting:
Comment out "Pretty Colors" and "Hidden Menu" on your menu.lst
Make sure the line gfxmenu /boot/grub/ is correct.

Editing my message files with your own images.

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mkdir /home/USERNAME/whatever
cd /whatever
cpio -i < /boot/grub/message.mint1 # replace it by the name of you message
edit the pictures
sudo ls . |cpio -o > /boot/grub/message.new

Now you can edit the menu.lst to use the new one.
The images have to be the same name and file format.
They also need to be 800x600.
IF

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sudo ls . |cpio -o > /boot/grub/message.new

doesn't work use

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sudo ls . |cpio -o > /home/USERNAME/message.new

Then just copy message.new to /boot/grub/

[hairy_Palms]

gfxboot improves grub so much,ive been using it since dapper, why only suse seems to have it by default confuses me. also this post on the ubuntuforums has a list of lots of themes at the bottom
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p= ... ostcount=1

[merlwiz79]

gfxboot improves grub so much,ive been using it since dapper, why only suse seems to have it by default confuses me. also this post on the ubuntuforums has a list of lots of themes at the bottom
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p= ... ostcount=1

I have compiled my own and those all say Ubuntu.

[merlwiz79]

Now that you'we written such an exellent guide, how about writing one about how to make your own custom gfx-boots?

Thanks.
You can edit the ones I posted.
If you want to compile your own, I don't know enough to make a complete how to for that.

[clem]

Merlwiz: Celena is currently using 0.97-5, shall I upgrade to your compiled 0.97-11? I didn't notice any problem with the version I have but I didn't test the installation of a new kernel. Also, why do you need three different packages for Gnome/KDE/XFCE?

Clem

[clem]

I've got tweaks in /sbin/update-grub so I think a kernel upgrade wouldn't create any problems. I'll test it though, if it does I'll upgrade to 0.97-11.

Clem

[hairy_Palms]

I have compiled my own and those all say Ubuntu.

no they dont, they are mostly generic, out of the whole lot only 3 have ubuntu logos on, my personal favorite is


which you can download from http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p= ... stcount=84

[merlwiz79]

Merlwiz: Celena is currently using 0.97-5, shall I upgrade to your compiled 0.97-11? I didn't notice any problem with the version I have but I didn't test the installation of a new kernel. Also, why do you need three different packages for Gnome/KDE/XFCE?

Clem

For anyone else how wishes to know.
The original 0.97-11 I had was meant for Debian not Ubuntu.
So when the Kernel tried to install it wouldn't, because some files where missing or incorrectly configured.
Once I fixed those the kernel installed but my menu.lst was configured for Debian.
So this meant the new title in my menu.lst was Debian and not Linux Mint 3.0 KDE like it was suppose to be.
So I made 3 different packages with the correct upgrade-grub so it would have the correct title and not all Linux Mint 3.0.
If I didn't do this everyone who has this installed would all see the title Linux Mint 3.0 even if they had the XFCE CE or KDE CE.

[linuxviolin]

why only suse seems to have it by default confuses me

No. Frugalware use GrubGFX by default...

[clem]

Merlwiz, this is to do with /sbin/update-grub, in Cassandra it's not in there but in /usr/sbin/update-grub. I'll run some checks but for Celena I don't think we'll need any debs for that and things should work out of the box for all three editions (I'll send you my notes later on and to Boo as well).

Clem

[McLovin]

ok, i am having a problem creating the new message.whatever, when i run the command

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sudo ls . |cpio -o > /boot/grub/message.new

it gets into the folder, but it is creating another archive, within the archive, so if i name it message.new, it creates another message.new inside of it, and doubls the file size. why???? and how the hell can i fix this?

[merlwiz79]

ok, i am having a problem creating the new message.whatever, when i run the command

Code: Select all

sudo ls . |cpio -o > /boot/grub/message.new

it gets into the folder, but it is creating another archive, within the archive, so if i name it message.new, it creates another message.new inside of it, and doubls the file size. why???? and how the hell can i fix this?

When you extract the message.* you have to remove it from the same folder.
Then you edit and run

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sudo ls . |cpio -o > /boot/grub/message.new

Also I have added others here(with source):
http://www.gnome-look.org/usermanager/s ... n=contents

[McLovin]

i cd to the folder where i am making th new gfxboot, then i run the command, the only files there are the images, and the text/config files needed to run the boot. the problem is that it is creating the archive, and inside the archive, there is a second archive of the same name.

[merlwiz79]

i cd to the folder where i am making th new gfxboot, then i run the command, the only files there are the images, and the text/config files needed to run the boot. the problem is that it is creating the archive, and inside the archive, there is a second archive of the same name.

Ok run it this way instead.

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sudo ls . |cpio -o > /home/USERNAME/message.XXXXX

[McLovin]

I've tried that as well, still does the same thing. I'm at a loss as to why.

[merlwiz79]

I've tried that as well, still does the same thing. I'm at a loss as to why.

Can you compress it into an archive and upload it?
Then I can try it and give you the finished product.

[McLovin]

sure, i'll get it zipped up tonight

[McLovin]

ok, here is he zip with the files for the gfxboot i made, there is also the message.x11mint archive in there as well, just so you can see what i am talking about, i send it to mint-upload, here's the link http://files.mint-space.com/getfile,200 ... r.bz2.html

[merlwiz79]

Ok the command works fine here.
Here is how it looks on my desktop.
Click to enlarge:

The only problem is it removes all black in head_a.jpg.(it's suppose to)

I changed it to head.jpg and used the old head_a.jpg(colors inverted w/o logo) and now it uses the image correctly.

message.x11mint
http://www.4shared.com/file/33937692/28 ... ssage.html

[McLovin]

thank you, but you can see what i mean by it creating 2 archives, one inside the other right? i dont know why it's doing in on my system.