[CentOS] GRUB Timeout problem

Thu Dec 4 15:33:22 UTC 2008
Mark Snyder <mark at jmktdis.com>

Robert Nichols wrote:
> Mark Snyder wrote:
>   
>> I recently installed CentOS 5.1 on a DL71 ASI notebook. 
>>
>> After my yum update the timeout parameter in /boot/grub/grub.conf file 
>> has no effect.  It sits at the grub screen forever unless I press the 
>> enter key to select a kernel, at which point it will boot.
>>
>> Any help or suggestions to fix this would be much appreciated
>>
>> CentOS release 5.2 (Final)
>> Kernel 2.6.18-92.1.18.el5 on an i686
>>
>> # grub.conf generated by anaconda
>> #
>> # Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
>> # NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
>> #          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
>> #          root (hd0,0)
>> #          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/hda3
>> #          initrd /initrd-version.img
>> #boot=/dev/hda
>> default=0
>> timeout=10
>> splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
>> hiddenmenu
>> title CentOS (2.6.18-92.1.18.el5)
>>         root (hd0,0)
>>         kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.18-92.1.18.el5 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
>>         initrd /initrd-2.6.18-92.1.18.el5.img
>> title CentOS (2.6.18-53.el5)
>>        root (hd0,0)
>>        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.18-53.el5 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
>>        initrd /initrd-2.6.18-53.el5.img
>> ~
>> ~
>> "grub.conf" 21L, 725C
>>     
>
> The NOTICE generated by anaconda indicates a separate /boot partition.
> Be sure that you are editing the grub/grub.conf file that is in your
> boot partition (hda1) and not a similar, but superfluous, file that
> you find under /boot in your root filesystem when your /boot partition
> is not mounted.
>
>   
I did a find for grub.conf and there are two copies of this file on the 
system, one in /etc and one in /boot/grub however the file in /etc is 
just a link back to /boot/grub/grub.conf

To check that this is the file being used I commented out the second 
title which then did not appear on the grub screen so I am sure that I 
am editing the correct file.