On a computer with several Linux installations, the system you are currently using may not own the GRUB menu shown at startup. SysLinuxOS Boot is a graphical tool for choosing the default boot entry, setting the menu timeout, editing kernel parameters, and changing the menu’s appearance.
Version 0.2.0 for amd64 is available from the official SysLinuxOS Tools APT repository. It is designed for an installed SysLinuxOS system. If the computer cannot boot, use SysLinuxOS Boot Repair from a Live USB instead.
What you can configure
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Default entry | Selects a system or kernel already listed by GRUB. The entry keeps its original position; it is highlighted and starts when the timeout expires. |
| Menu timeout | Controls how long the boot menu waits before starting the default entry. |
| Kernel parameters | Edits boot options managed by the GRUB configuration. |
| GRUB background and theme | Changes the menu’s appearance. The selected background image is copied into GRUB’s area so the bootloader can read it. |
| Plymouth splash | Controls the splash theme of the installation currently running. |
Install from the APT repository
If the SysLinuxOS Tools repository is already configured, run:
sudo apt update sudo apt install syslinuxos-boot
Launch the application from the SysLinuxOS Tools menu. To inspect the installed and available versions:
apt policy syslinuxos-boot
Make another installation the default
Open SysLinuxOS Boot, select the desired item in Boot to, then click Apply. If the third installation is selected, it remains third in the GRUB menu. The application changes which entry is selected by default; it does not reorder the list. Stable GRUB entry identifiers keep this choice independent of a simple numeric menu position.
On supported UEFI systems, the application identifies the GRUB installation actually loaded by the firmware. If another installation owns that menu, its device is shown in the window title and menu settings are applied there. For a Btrfs root using the @ subvolume, the application can mount the menu owner; an encrypted root may require a LUKS password. If it cannot safely identify or mount the active GRUB installation, it disables boot-menu changes.
GRUB background and Plymouth splash
The GRUB background appears in the menu before Linux starts. SysLinuxOS Boot stores a selected image under /boot/grub/ on the installation that owns the menu. A file in a user’s home directory may be unavailable to GRUB, especially when subvolumes or encryption are involved.
The Plymouth theme controls the splash displayed while the current installation starts. Changing Plymouth does not move GRUB entries or change which partition supplies the boot menu.
Boot settings or boot recovery?
Use SysLinuxOS Boot to configure a working boot menu from an installed system. Use SysLinuxOS Boot Repair from a Live USB when an installation will not boot and GRUB needs inspection or repair. The tools serve different stages of the boot process. The application’s Help and About windows include the user guide and product changelog.
The package and signed APT indices are available from the official SysLinuxOS Tools repository. After changing the default entry, check its selection in the menu at the next restart.
SysLinuxOS Boot and GRUB Boot Management