Unable to reduce Grub boot delay

grub2

I have a Dell Laptop running single OS Ubuntu Mate 15.10 & GRUB on single 320GB HDD, partitioned as / & /home. I would like to reduce the default grub boot delay to preferably “0” from 10 seconds. So far, I have unsuccessfully tried the following tweaks suggested elsewhere both via Grub-Customizer and via directly editing /etc/default/grub. Other lines were left undisturbed. After changes, I’ve run sudo update-grub every time. The Grub boot delay remained unchanged at 10 seconds.

  • GRUB_TIMEOUT=”0” & GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=”0”
  • GRUB_TIMEOUT=”0” & #GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=”0”
  • GRUB_TIMEOUT=”0” & GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=””
  • GRUB_TIMEOUT=”2” & GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=”2”

Please can you suggest a solution to this problem. Thanks.

Code of my new (after suggested changes) /boot/grub/grub.cfg

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  set have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
if [ "${next_entry}" ] ; then
   set default="${next_entry}"
   set next_entry=
   save_env next_entry
   set boot_once=true
else
   set default="Ubuntu"
fi

if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}
function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
fi
    font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
fi
insmod gfxmenu
insmod png
set theme=($root)/boot/grub/themes/ubuntu-mate/theme.txt
export theme
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ] ; then
  set timeout=30
else
  if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
    set timeout_style=hidden
    set timeout=0
  # Fallback hidden-timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
  # unavailable.
  elif sleep --interruptible 0 ; then
    set timeout=0
  fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
if background_color 60,59,55; then
  clear
fi

color_normal=light-gray/black

if [ -e ${prefix}/themes/ubuntu-mate/theme.txt ]; then
  insmod png
  theme=${prefix}/themes/ubuntu-mate/theme.txt
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
function gfxmode {
    set gfxpayload="${1}"
    if [ "${1}" = "keep" ]; then
        set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
    else
        set vt_handoff=
    fi
}
if [ "${recordfail}" != 1 ]; then
  if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
    if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
      if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
        set linux_gfx_mode=keep
      else
        set linux_gfx_mode=text
      fi
    else
      set linux_gfx_mode=text
    fi
  else
    set linux_gfx_mode=keep
  fi
else
  set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
menuentry 'Ubuntu' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c' {
    recordfail
    load_video
    gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
    insmod gzio
    if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='hd0,msdos1'
    if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
    else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
    fi
    linux   /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-generic root=UUID=a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c ro  quiet splash $vt_handoff
    initrd  /boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-17-generic
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Ubuntu' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c' {
    menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 4.2.0-17-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-4.2.0-17-generic-advanced-a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c' {
        recordfail
        load_video
        gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
        insmod gzio
        if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
        insmod part_msdos
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd0,msdos1'
        if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux 4.2.0-17-generic ...'
        linux   /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-17-generic root=UUID=a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c ro  quiet splash $vt_handoff
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd  /boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-17-generic
    }
    menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 4.2.0-16-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-4.2.0-16-generic-advanced-a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c' {
        recordfail
        load_video
        gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
        insmod gzio
        if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
        insmod part_msdos
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd0,msdos1'
        if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux 4.2.0-16-generic ...'
        linux   /boot/vmlinuz-4.2.0-16-generic root=UUID=a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c ro  quiet splash $vt_handoff
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd  /boot/initrd.img-4.2.0-16-generic
    }
}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry 'Memory test (memtest86+)' {
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='hd0,msdos1'
    if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
    else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
    fi
    knetbsd /boot/memtest86+.elf
}
menuentry 'Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)' {
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='hd0,msdos1'
    if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
    else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a2bdc1a5-f2fb-489d-adec-ba5a92514f0c
    fi
    linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

Solution 1:

Grub ignores a timeout of zero and sets to 10 seconds

In your /etc/default/grub you are passing the value "0". Grub ignores timeouts of zero and resets the value to 10 instead. To "trick" Grub pass the value 0.0 which when tested by Grub is not equal to 0.

Setting timeout to zero

In my /etc/default/grub I have these relevant lines setup:

#GRUB_DEFAULT=0 # Rather than option #1, we'll always default to last boot choice.
GRUB_DEFAULT=saved
GRUB_SAVEDEFAULT=true
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0.0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=0.0

I've used the values 0.0 without double quotes to reflect how numeric values are used.

Notice the first line is commented out. This means grub no longer defaults to the first menu option (in my case Kernel 4.9.21) but rather the last option booted with (in my case Kernel 4.4.0-72-generic from the Advanced Options Menu)

The second and third lines ensure you always boot to the same option last chosen.

Changing the boot option when no menu appears

A better method is to reduce timeout and provide option to force your menu to appear. This method is described here: How can I get my GRUB menu to be hidden, AND have the shift or esc keys show the hidden GRUB menu at boot time

Solution 2:

Search in /boot/grub/grub.conf for the string:

set timeout=10

If you find it, surrounding lines might help you figure out what is the problem.

Note from editor : Preferably don't edit the /boot/grub/grub.conf manually as it will be automatically overwritten every now and then.

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