[SOLVED] LTS kernel option to top of boot screen

General system Newbie
1

Following @dalto’s recommendation, I installed the latest LTS kernel (6.6.72).

When I boot up the machine, the kernel is in the list, and in order to make EOS boot into that automatically, I followed these steps.

However, trying to end the procedure with sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg gives a terminal output as grub-mkconfig: command not found.

Indeed, the LTS kernel remains at 3rd place in the list.

Is there a way to push it to 1st place so I don’t have to use the down arrow? I know, it is only a small improvement, but still …

2

Stupid question - are you sure you are using grub? Is it systemd-boot? Default install is systemd-boot.

1 Like
3

You are probably using systemd-boot and not grub if you don’t have grub-mkconfig.

If so, the EOS wiki describes how to change the default booted entry for systemd-boot by editing /efi/loader/loader.conf. You can’t move it to the top, but you have it highlighted by default.

4

Is this the same device or a different one?
If it’s the same one, are you reinstalling EndeavourOS for some reason?

Like the above two comments said, you may not have GRUB on your system, especially if this is a different device or you’re reinstalling EndeavourOS.

5

Nothing stupid about your question :grinning:
I am not sure whether I am using systemd boot of grub. Now, when I refer to grub I mean the “menu” (that’s an overstatement) that is displayed in white monochrome against a black background and that lists Endeavour OS, Endeavour something else, and now also LTS kernel 6.6.72.

If my use of “grub” is wrong in this context, what is the right designation?

6

systemd-boot specifically or, more generally, the bootloader.

In that case, the instructions are as I provided above.

Here is a link to the wiki page: https://discovery.endeavouros.com/installation/systemd-boot/2022/12/

1 Like
7

This is what there is in /etc/loader/loader.conf:

default 4acb3ccd578940f4b1d99d71b59ee048*
timeout 5
console-mode auto
reboot-for-bitlocker 1

The LTS kernel is not mentioned.

8

Did you read the wiki?

Specifically, the section: “How to change the default entry to boot”

You edit the default line as described in the wiki.

9

I read your earlier comment after I posted, so I just started reading the wiki. My apologies.

10

I am sorry but I did something stupid.

When I want to open ``, nano shows “directory does not exist”.
I checked in the file explorer, and indeed the loader directory does not appear in the /etc directory, therefore the loader.conf file does not exist.

I have no idea what I did because I did not do any delete or cut actions.

Is it possible to manually add (with root privileges, of course) a loader directory, then with e.g. xed create a file with those 4 original lines I reported? i.e.

default 4acb3ccd578940f4b1d99d71b59ee048*
timeout 5
console-mode auto
reboot-for-bitlocker 1
11

Yes, this is the same device, and no, I am not reinstalling, Dalto’s arguments convinced me there is no point.

12

Er… Seems we are assuming that because you are using EndeavourOS, you are also using Systemd-Boot. So, let’s find out for sure. Post the output of the following, please:

pacman -Q | grep -A 0 -E "(grub|systemd|dracut|mkinitcpio|linux|headers)"

And

inxi -Fxxc0z
13

It is in /efi, not /etc

14

Oops, my booby, but I am relieved.

The wiki you linked to gives 2 possibilities for the 1st line with default:

  1. should I amend it to default 4acb3ccd578940f4b1d99d71b59ee048*lts.conf, or
  2. to default @saved

Another question in this context is that the wiki advises to have the timeout set at 1, while mine is at 5. What is better?

15

Don’t do this. It won’t work when things update.

It is completely personal preference. It is the amount of seconds it pauses at the menu. Personally, I use 3 seconds.

16
Summary

$ pacman -Q | grep -A 0 -E “(grub|systemd|dracut|mkinitcpio|linux|headers)”
archlinux-contrib 20250110-1
archlinux-keyring 20250123-1

dracut 106-1

kernel-install-for-dracut 1.11-1

linux 6.12.10.arch1-1
linux-api-headers 6.10-1
linux-firmware 20250109.7673dffd-1
linux-firmware-whence 20250109.7673dffd-1
linux-headers 6.12.10.arch1-1
linux-lts 6.6.72-1
linux-lts-headers 6.6.72-1

systemd 257.2-2
systemd-libs 257.2-2
systemd-resolvconf 257.2-2
systemd-sysvcompat 257.2-2

util-linux 2.40.4-1
util-linux-libs 2.40.4-1

vulkan-headers 1:1.4.303-1

Summary

$ inxi -Fxxc0z
System:
Kernel: 6.6.72-1-lts arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 14.2.1
Desktop: Cinnamon v: 6.4.6 tk: GTK v: 3.24.48 wm: Muffin dm: LightDM
Distro: EndeavourOS base: Arch Linux
Machine:
Type: Laptop System: TongFang product: GX5MRXL v: Standard
serial:
Mobo: TongFang model: GX5MRXL v: Standard serial:
part-nu: 0001 UEFI: American Megatrends LLC. v: N.1.10PCS05 date: 10/24/2024
Battery:
ID-1: BAT0 charge: 49.6 Wh (50.0%) condition: 99.2/99.2 Wh (100.0%)
volts: 15.7 min: 15.5 model: standard serial: status: discharging
CPU:
Info: 14-core (4-mt/10-st) model: Intel Core Ultra 5 125H bits: 64
type: MST AMCP arch: Meteor Lake rev: 4 cache: 18 MiB note: check
Speed (MHz): avg: 400 min/max: 400/4400:3600:2500 cores: 1: 400 2: 400
3: 400 4: 400 5: 400 6: 400 7: 400 8: 400 9: 400 10: 400 11: 400 12: 400
13: 400 14: 400 15: 400 16: 400 17: 400 18: 400 bogomips: 107856
Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel Meteor Lake-P [Intel Arc Graphics] vendor: AIstone Global
driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Xe-LPG ports: active: eDP-1 empty: DP-1, DP-2,
DP-3, DP-4, HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:7d55
Device-2: Kingcome FHD WebCam driver: uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0
speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 3-3:2 chip-ID: 2b7e:c858
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.15 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.4 driver: X:
loaded: modesetting alternate: fbdev,intel,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915
display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 2560x1600 s-dpi: 96
Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: BOE Display 0x0c85 res: 2560x1600 hz: 120 dpi: 198
diag: 388mm (15.3")
API: EGL v: 1.5 platforms: device: 0 drv: iris device: 1 drv: swrast gbm:
drv: iris surfaceless: drv: iris x11: drv: iris inactive: wayland
API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: intel mesa v: 24.3.4-arch1.1
glx-v: 1.4 direct-render: yes renderer: Mesa Intel Arc Graphics (MTL)
device-ID: 8086:7d55
Info: Tools: api: eglinfo,glxinfo x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr
Audio:
Device-1: Intel Meteor Lake-P HD Audio vendor: AIstone Global
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:7e28
API: ALSA v: k6.6.72-1-lts status: kernel-api
Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.2.7 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
status: active 2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin
4: pw-jack type: plugin
Network:
Device-1: Intel Meteor Lake PCH CNVi WiFi driver: iwlwifi v: kernel
bus-ID: 00:14.3 chip-ID: 8086:7e40
IF: wlan0 state: up mac:
Device-2: Motorcomm Micro. YT6801 Gigabit Ethernet vendor: AIstone Global
driver: N/A pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 3000 bus-ID: 2d:00.0
chip-ID: 1f0a:6801
Bluetooth:
Device-1: Intel AX211 Bluetooth driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB rev: 2.0
speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 3-10:4 chip-ID: 8087:0033
Report: btmgmt ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: down bt-service: disabled
rfk-block: hardware: no software: no address: N/A
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 476.95 GiB used: 28.73 GiB (6.0%)
ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Samsung model: MZVL2256HCHQ-00B00
size: 238.47 GiB speed: 63.2 Gb/s lanes: 4 serial: temp: 29.9 C
ID-2: /dev/nvme1n1 vendor: Samsung model: MZVL2256HCHQ-00B00
size: 238.47 GiB speed: 63.2 Gb/s lanes: 4 serial: temp: 29.9 C
Partition:
ID-1: / size: 232.68 GiB used: 28.55 GiB (12.3%) fs: ext4
dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2
Swap:
ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 512 MiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2
file: /swapfile
Sensors:
Src: /sys System Temperatures: cpu: 43.0 C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (rpm): N/A
Info:
Memory: total: 32 GiB note: est. available: 30.91 GiB used: 5.89 GiB (19.1%)
Processes: 424 Power: uptime: 3h 22m wakeups: 2 Init: systemd v: 257
default: graphical
Packages: 897 pm: pacman pkgs: 874 pm: flatpak pkgs: 23 Compilers:
gcc: 14.2.1 Shell: Bash v: 5.2.37 running-in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.3.37

1 Like
17

OK, clear.

From the wiki I have learned that the default boot entry can be set with this command sudo bootctl set-default ID, whereby the ID can be established with sudo ls /efi/loader/entries.

Since I want the LTS kernel to be at the top, this the procedure I will implement.

18

@dalto I implemented that and it works – “of course”, you will say :grinning:
Thanks a lot for your help, and all those extremely useful, invaluable pieces you have written.

1 Like
19

Thanks also to @ddnn and @xircon for chiming in.

1 Like
20

Again, don’t do that. That will break over time.

You should do this:

If you make that one change, you only need to change it once. Any other approach will require setting it over and over again.