[Linux-users] Grub options menu on CentOS

[Bill Campbell]

On Wed, Aug 22, 2007, Collins Richey wrote:
>On 8/21/07, Bill Campbell <linux-sxs at celestial.com> wrote:
>> I'm gradually learning my way around CentOS systems, but haven't figured
>> out how to select different init states from grub.
>>
>> On the SuSE systems I've been using, one can type ``init 3'' at the grub
>> prompt, but CentOS doeesn't provide that prompt.
>>
>> How does one configure grub to provide the options prompt where one can
>> specify boot options?
>>
>
>SuSE must have tinkered massively (not too surprising, it's SuSE after
>all) with Grub. I've never seen such a feature. The standard method is
>that describe by others: type 'e', navigate to the kernel line, type
>'e', add your kernel/init options, and type 'b'.

SuSE did whatever they did to make it easy for non-techie people
to handle exceptional cases without having to deal with editing
the /boot/grub/menu.lst file.  Some techies don't really like to
have to edit a file that's (a) fairly arcane, (b) messing it up
can render the machine unbootable, and (c) is often updated by
less-than-smart scripts during on-line system updates.

I just experienced a non-bootable CentOS 4.5 system here when an
external USB hard drive was on.  The boot process apparently was
looking for that instead of the internal IDE (/dev/hda) drive.

IHHO, this is an example of poor engineering on Red Hat/CentOS
part as it would require an on-site visit to reboot a machine
after a power failure if it had accessible removable media that
wasn't on the machine during installation.

BTW:  I haven't seen anybody give Novell/SuSE any credit for
their role in destroying the SCO suit.  If there's any justice in
the U.S. legal system (highly doubtful), this might even get back
to Microsoft and their support of SCO in this suit.

Bill
--
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