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These exercises give you practice in:
- Adding a kernel to an existing GNU GRand Unified Bootloader (GRUB) configuration
- Making one-time changes to a GRUB entry at boot time
You must have the GRUB Legacy boot loader installed. And you should have a working knowledge of basic Linux command-line tools as well as knowledge of at least one text editor; you'll use the text editor to make changes to system configuration files.
Exercise 1. Add a new kernel to a GRUB configuration
Imagine that you've made some modifications to the Linux kernel for a new application your company is developing. You want be able to run this test kernel on your development machine without replacing the kernel you use for production work. Practice editing a GRUB configuration to boot a new kernel by:
- Renaming or moving an existing kernel
- Creating an entry that references this new entry
Exercise 2. Modify GRUB options at boot time
Say you want to try out your new kernel using different kernel options, but you don't want to have to re-edit grub.conf every time you make a change. Not a problem. Experiment with GRUB's ability to accept changes to boot options at boot time, such as:
- Entering single-user mode
- Correcting typos in an entry
- Changing the Linux root partition
Follow these solution steps to check your work.
Learn
- The developerWorks article "Learn Linux, 101: Boot managers" (developerWorks, May 2010)
describes the commands required to complete these exercises.
- The Official GNU GRUB Manual describes GRUB legacy configuration in
detail.
- Rod's article Migrate to GRUB 2 (developerWorks, April 2010) describes
differences between GRUB legacy and GRUB 2.
- The Official GNU
GRUB 2 Manual describes GRUB 2 configuration in detail.
- The LILO mini-HOWTO document
describes Linux Loader (LILO) configuration in detail.
- At the LPIC
Program site, find detailed objectives, task lists, and sample
questions for the three levels of the LPI's Linux systems administration
certification. In particular, look at the LPI-101 detailed objectives and the sample questions.
- Review the entire LPI exam
prep series on developerWorks to learn Linux fundamentals and
prepare for systems administrator certification based on LPI exam
objectives prior to April 2009.
-
Exam Preparation Resources for Revised LPIC Exams provides a list
of other certification training resources maintained by LPI.
- In the developerWorks Linux zone, find hundreds of how-to articles and tutorials, as well as downloads, discussion
forums, and a wealth of other resources for Linux developers and
administrators.
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of IBM products and IT industry topics.
- Attend a free developerWorks Live! briefing to get up-to-speed quickly on
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- Watch developerWorks on-demand demos ranging from product installation
and setup demos for beginners, to advanced functionality for experienced
developers.
- Follow developerWorks on
Twitter, or subscribe to a feed of Linux tweets on developerWorks.
Get products and technologies
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Evaluate
IBM products in the way that suits you best: Download a product
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Architecture efficiently.
Discuss
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Roderick W. Smith is a consultant and author of over a dozen books on UNIX and Linux, including The Definitive Guide to Samba 3, Linux in a Windows World, and Linux Professional Institute Certification Study Guide. He is also the author of the GPT fdisk partitioning software. He currently resides in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
