Reordering Grub preferences

[Total Noob]

I have a compaq presario desktop preloaded with Win7 to which I later added Linux Mint. I believe it has an i3 processor.

Grub defaults to Linux after about 10 seconds after it appears, which means I have to stand by during the initial booting phase and play around with arrows on a hard wired keyboard to get Windows to load. I'd like it to default to Windows so I can turn the computer on and walk away.

What is the procedure for changing the default setting?

[Ned Seagoon]

You need to edit GRUB
Take a look at https://www.pcsteps.com/1053-change-...x-mint-ubuntu/

[Total Noob]

Originally Posted by Ned Seagoon

You need to edit GRUB
Take a look at https://www.pcsteps.com/1053-change-...x-mint-ubuntu/

Thanks for the old college try, but this won't work for me.

I mentioned I wanted my computer to default to Win, but did not say why. Now I do.

It is because Linux Mint does not have a driver for my replacement wifi dongle (the old one fried). I've looked high and low for one, and what seemed like the sole available workaround posted to the Mint forums would take about 6 hours of keyboard work, a programming skill set and typing accuracy about 4 grades above my payscale, and quite frankly, some amount of good luck as it was not an approved solution.

So now I came to the above suggestion so I can avoid Mint, and lo and behold it requires being on line to get the right software, which is a no can do unless I start moving furniture and junk to get hard wire access to the router, and that is just not worth it.

Is there a way to just remove the Grub and start Windows by default without having to go on line? I would delete Mint outright if I could be guaranteed doing so would not affect Windows, but I don't have a lot of confidence in that, and deleting Mint does not affect the Grub anyway (been there, done that) and thus causes hangs on boot up.

[Jaytee]

Two relatively simple ways are:

To change the default loading entry, you need to change the GRUB_DEFAULT as given below.

you need to edit /etc/default/grub . To do that,

Execute in the terminal : sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Now change the GRUB_DEFAULT=0 to any entry you wish.

The first entry is 0 , second Entry is 1 and so on..

enter image description here

After editing, update your grub by executing : sudo update-grub
If you would like to have a graphical interface, you may want to use Grub Customizer: As Tico pointed out, install it by adding the ppa first:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:danielrichter2007/grub-customizer
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install grub-customizer

This tool lets you modify grub rather safely. It allows you to re-order grub's menu entries, set the default entry, and remove an entry, etc.
Or ask how to initiate the wireless network adaptor usually a firmware problem..

[Total Noob]

Thanks, that worked, with a caveat.

Originally Posted by Jaytee

The first entry is 0 , second Entry is 1 and so on..

This instruction didn't mention that the number you enter when making the change is the ordinal on the the list of possible OS's that appear when the computer boots up to grub, and that list doesn't appear on screen as you try to manipulate the order, so people, write down the ordinal of the one you want to change it to before you proceed to the mechanics of making the change. As it turned out, Windows was about the sixth OS on the list, so changing the entry to 1 doesn't do it.

Also, the instructions of the process as you do it are less than clear. The instruction to save the changes read as ^X, which I thought meant literally type in "^X" when the instruction really was Ctrl-X.

[Jaytee]

That is precisely what I said therefore item 6 would be 5 to choose.
I simply did not think to explain control x to you sorry about that...

[Total Noob]

I've been using the computer with the adjustments just fine, but I later came across a work around that may be useful to some.

I needed a more powerful wifi relay/router to spread the signal from my way too weak verizon router, and what I bought has 4 ethernet connections, meaning I can plug wired-only devices like an old DVD player or Magic Jack into it, or better yet, a Linux Mint computer that does not play nice with off the shelf dongles. In effect, I have a wifi connection to wired-only devices.

I suppose there are devices that do that without also being a wifi router, and having that would be a boon to anyone doing distance learning but is unable to afford a laptop as well as anyone with a weak signal.

[Jaytee]

Surely this post merits a thread of it's own rather than cross posting..