# grub2-mkconfig - trying to update menu

**URL:** <https://forums.suse.com/t/grub2-mkconfig-trying-to-update-menu/26944>\
**Category:** SLES Configure-Administer\
**Created:** [April 15, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/grub2-mkconfig-trying-to-update-menu/26944 "2015-04-15T20:24:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mikenash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@mikenash](https://forums.suse.com/u/mikenash)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/grub2-mkconfig-trying-to-update-menu/26944/1 "2015-04-15T20:24:19Z")

</div>

I want to change the menu on a Suse 12 Enterprise system.  
I edit the /etc/default zip12grub.conf file execure grug2-mkconfig. Then reboot the system and no changes occur. The zip12grub.conf seems like the correct file to update so I am at a loss as to what the correct process would be.

cat zipl2grub.conf

## This is the template for ‘@zipldir@/config’ and is subject to

## rpm’s %config file handling in case of grub2-s390x-emu package update.

[defaultboot]  
defaultmenu = menu

[grub2]  
target = @zipldir@  
ramdisk = @zipldir@/initrd,0x2000000  
image = @zipldir@/image  
parameters = "root=@GRUB\_DEVICE@ @GRUB\_EMU\_CONMODE@ @GRUB\_CMDLINE\_LINUX@ @GRUB\_CMDLINE\_LINUX\_DEFAULT@ initgrub quiet splash=silent "

[skip-grub2]  
target = @zipldir@  
ramdisk = @zipldir@/initrd,0x2000000  
image = @zipldir@/image  
parameters = "root=@GRUB\_DEVICE@ @GRUB\_CONMODE@ @GRUB\_CMDLINE\_LINUX@ @GRUB\_CMDLINE\_LINUX\_DEFAULT@ "

[test-grub2]  
target = @zipldir@  
ramdisk = @zipldir@/initrd,0x2000000  
image = @zipldir@/image  
parameters = "root=@GRUB\_DEVICE@ @GRUB\_CONMODE@ @GRUB\_CMDLINE\_LINUX@ @GRUB\_CMDLINE\_LINUX\_DEFAULT@ "

:menu  
target = @zipldir@  
timeout = 16  
default = 1  
prompt = 1  
1 = grub2  
2 = skip-grub2  
3 = test menu grub2

grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

Generating grub configuration file …  
Found linux image: /boot/image-3.12.39-47-default  
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd-3.12.39-47-default  
Found linux image: /boot/image-3.12.28-4-default  
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd-3.12.28-4-default  
done

reboot

Storage cleared - system reset.  
zIPL v1.24.1-38.17 interactive boot menu

1. default (grub2)

2. grub2

3. skip-grub2

Note: VM users please use ‘#cp vi vmsg ’

Please choose (default will boot in 16 seconds):  
Booting default (grub2)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 7:30am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/grub2-mkconfig-trying-to-update-menu/26944/2 "2015-04-20T07:30:17Z")

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mikenash,

It appears that in the past few days you have not received a response to your  
posting. That concerns us, and has triggered this automated reply.

Has your issue been resolved? If not, you might try one of the following options:

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the other support options available.
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If this is a reply to a duplicate posting, please ignore and accept our apologies  
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Good luck!

Your SUSE Forums Team  
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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mikenash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@mikenash](https://forums.suse.com/u/mikenash)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 10:04pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/grub2-mkconfig-trying-to-update-menu/26944/3 "2015-04-21T22:04:01Z")

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I think I got things working but not seemless. I update /etc/fstab to use the new changed device address. Executed grub2-zipl-setup, grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg and finally mkinitrd. Not sure why mkinitrd was needed because I would have expected grub2-mkconfig to do this. To use the original address I update /etc/fstab and execute the three commands and performed earlier.

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**Author:** ![x0500hl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/7bcc69/32.png) [@x0500hl](https://forums.suse.com/u/x0500hl)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 5:08pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/grub2-mkconfig-trying-to-update-menu/26944/4 "2015-04-22T17:08:02Z")

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Mike,

I installed SLES 12 in a sandbox environment and ran into the same issues. My SLES 11 systems display the boot menu for 3 seconds and I wanted this to be the same in SLES 12. There are now 2 boot menus displayed, one by zipl and the other by grub2. I needed to modify the timeout and pass parameters to Linux at boot time as my Linux systems run on System z under z/VM.

Here is what I did.

Change the time that the zipl boot menu is displayed.  
cd /etc/default/  
cp -p zipl2grub.conf.in zipl2grub.conf.in.orig  
vi zipl2grub.conf.in  
Change the value of Âtimeout=Â from 16 to 3.  
:wq

Rebuild the zipl boot loader.  
/usr/sbin/grub2-zipl-setup

Change the time that the grub boot menu is displayed.  
cp -p /etc/default/grub /etc/default/grub.orig  
vi /etc/default/grub  
Change the value of ÂGRUB\_TIMEOUT=Â from 8 to 3.  
:wq

Update the grub boot parameters.  
YaST  System  Boot Loader  
The ÂBoot Loader SettingsÂ screen will be displayed with menu item ÂBoot Code OptionsÂ selected.

Press the right arrow to select menu item ÂKernel ParametersÂ.

Tab to ÂOptional Kernel Command Line ParameterÂ and change the line to  
TERM=dumb resume=/dev/disk/by-path/ccw-0.0.0301-part1 broadcast=10.78.240.239 crashkernel=204M-:102M cio\_ignore=all,!ipldev,!condev fixedbuffers vmpoff=LOGOFF

Tab to ÂFailsafe Kernel Command Line ParameterÂ and change the line to  
hvc\_iucv=8 TERM=dumb noresume x11failsafe crashkernel=204M-:102M fixedbuffers vmpoff=LOGOFF

[OK]  
[Quit]

Note: this process updates /etc/default/grub as well as other files and should keep the above changes when a new kernel is installed. If changing files manually, you will need to run the grub2-mkconfig script.

Harley

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mikenash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@mikenash](https://forums.suse.com/u/mikenash)\
**Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/grub2-mkconfig-trying-to-update-menu/26944/5 "2015-04-22T18:11:43Z")

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Hello Harley, thank you for your reply. My stategy was to first create process with a new menu item with the changed IPL address. Then create the process just to update the address of the IPL volume. I was able to do this but I believe I have uncovered a couple of defects.

The change with the menu process involved changing the /etc/default/zipl2grub.conf.in, /etc/fstab, and  
/etc/default/grub files. Update the bootloader and execute the grub2-zipl-setup, grub2-mkconfig and  
mkinitrd commands.

The ipl address change process was much simpler. Update /etc/fstab and the bootloader then execute  
the grub2-zipl-setup, grub2-mkconfig and mkinitrd commands.

The first defect is documentation for the command grub2-zipl-setup. I could not find any reference to  
grub2-zipl-setup documentation. There is no zipl.conf file and this command is the replacement for the  
zipl command on Suse 12. It needs to be documented.

The second is the command grub2-mkconfig. does not work as I expect it to work After using this  
command I am still unable to successfully ipl a system using the grub2 menu. I am forced to bypass  
this menu to successfully ipl. I can successfully ipl a system using the grub2 menu after I execute the  
mkinitrd command. I believe the grub2-mkconfig command is a replacement on Suse 12 for the  
mkinitrd command and should not be required on Suse 12.

I could have mis-interpreted this ipl address change process so I would greatly appreciate all reviews,  
questions, and opinions on this matter.
