After installing Ubuntu on a PC that was already running Windows XP, there is now a Linux boot loader (GRUB) that appears whenever the PC boots up. It will automatically start Ubuntu instead of Windows XP unless Windows is manually selected with the arrow keys when the boot loader appears.
In order to change the default operating system back to Windows XP, and change other settings such as the boot delay time, start Ubuntu and do the following:
- Open the Terminal (Applications>Accessories>Terminal)
- Type: sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst, then press Enter
- Enter password if asked, then press Enter
This should open a new window with the GRUB settings.
Changing ##default num changes the default operating system. The default is “0″, which is the top entry that you see when the boot loader appears on start-up. Changing this to a higher number will change the default highlighted entry in the boot loader. This may take a couple of tries if you are unsure of how many entries there are.
Changing ## timeout sec changes the number of seconds the boot loader will be displayed before booting the default entry. The default is “10″. Save any changes and exit the Terminal. The next time you reboot, GRUB should have the new settings applied.
(This has only been tested with Ubuntu, but may work with other Linux distros using GRUB.)
