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Asked: 2024-09-26T20:34:15+05:30 In: ,

How can I modify the boot sequence in the GRUB menu so that Windows boots before Ubuntu?

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around this GRUB menu situation and could really use some help from anyone who’s been in the same boat. So, here’s the deal: I’ve got a dual-boot setup on my computer with Windows and Ubuntu. Everything was working fine until I decided to use Ubuntu more often, and now I want Windows to boot first instead. It’s not that I don’t love my Ubuntu system; I just find myself in Windows a lot for a few specific applications that I need for work.

The default GRUB menu has decided that Ubuntu should be first in the boot sequence, which, honestly, is fine most of the time. But there are moments when I just want to hop into Windows quickly without having to manually select it every single time. I’ve tried searching for fixes online, but the explanations tend to be a bit overwhelming or assume I know more than I actually do. I feel like I might mess something up if I’m not careful!

Could anyone break it down for me? What’s the easiest way to go about changing the boot order in the GRUB menu? I’ve seen mentions of editing the `grub.cfg` file and using `update-grub`, but I’m not quite sure how all that fits together. Do I need to worry about corrupting anything? And if so, how can I back things up ahead of time?

Also, I’m curious if there’s a straightforward way to check if the changes worked after I’ve modified the boot sequence. I’m really looking for a step-by-step or at least some solid pointers that won’t make my head spin. Any tips, tricks, or warnings you all might have? Thanks in advance for your help!

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    2 Answers

    1. Changing the GRUB Boot Order to Boot Windows First

      It sounds like you’re in a common situation with a dual-boot setup! Don’t worry, I’ll try to break it down into simple steps for you.

      Step 1: Open the Terminal

      First, you’ll need to open the terminal in Ubuntu. You can do this by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T on your keyboard.

      Step 2: Backup the Current Configuration

      Before making any changes, it’s wise to back up your current GRUB configuration. In the terminal, type the following command and press Enter:

      sudo cp /etc/default/grub /etc/default/grub.bak

      This creates a backup file named grub.bak just in case you need to revert back!

      Step 3: Edit the GRUB Configuration

      Next, let’s edit the GRUB settings. Type this command in the terminal:

      sudo nano /etc/default/grub

      This opens the GRUB configuration file in a text editor called nano. Look for a line that says:

      GRUB_DEFAULT=0

      By default, it usually starts with a number (like 0 for the first entry, which is typically Ubuntu). You’ll want to change the number to the one that corresponds to Windows. If Windows is the second entry in the list, you’d change it to:

      GRUB_DEFAULT=2

      (Remember, it starts counting from 0!)

      Step 4: Save Your Changes

      Once you’ve made the changes, save the file by pressing Ctrl + X, then Y to confirm, and finally Enter to exit.

      Step 5: Update GRUB

      Now that we’ve edited the configuration file, let’s apply the changes. In the terminal, type:

      sudo update-grub

      This command will regenerate the GRUB configuration file and make the changes take effect.

      Step 6: Reboot and Check

      Finally, reboot your computer with:

      sudo reboot

      When your system starts up again, you should see Windows listed first in the GRUB menu. If everything went well, it’ll boot into Windows automatically after the timer runs out!

      What if Something Goes Wrong?

      If something doesn’t look right or it doesn’t boot the way you want, you can restore the backup you made earlier. Just boot into a live USB session of Ubuntu, open the terminal, and run:

      sudo cp /etc/default/grub.bak /etc/default/grub

      Then run sudo update-grub again, and you should be back to square one.

      Check If Changes Worked

      After rebooting, if you want to check if the changes worked, just look at the GRUB menu during boot to see if Windows is listed first. If it’s there, congratulations!

      Hope this helps clear things up a bit! Just take it one step at a time, and you’ll be fine!


    2. To change the boot order in the GRUB menu so that Windows loads first, you’ll need to edit the GRUB configuration file, specifically the `/etc/default/grub` file. Open the terminal in Ubuntu and type sudo nano /etc/default/grub to edit the file with superuser permissions. Look for the line that starts with GRUB_DEFAULT=. You can set this to the menu entry number for Windows (starting from 0 for the first entry in the GRUB menu) or to the name of the Windows entry enclosed in quotes, such as “Windows Boot Manager”. After making your changes, save the file (in Nano, you can do this by pressing CTRL+O followed by ENTER and then CTRL+X to exit).

      Next, you need to update the GRUB configuration to apply your changes. Run the command sudo update-grub in the terminal. This command will regenerate the grub.cfg file based on your modifications. To ensure that everything is in order and that your changes worked, you can reboot your computer. Upon startup, check the GRUB menu to see if Windows is now the default entry. If you want to back up your GRUB configuration before making changes, you can create a copy of the current configuration file by executing sudo cp /etc/default/grub /etc/default/grub.bak. This will allow you to restore the original settings if something goes awry.


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