[Techtalk] Setting default in Grub

[David Sumbler]

On my hand-held PC that has been giving me a certain amount of trouble
(as previously reported), I have two kernels installed -
2.6.28-11-generic and 2.6.28-19-generic.  The first of these works fine,
but not the second, because of the peculiar way the computer has been
set up with modules in strange places etc.

Eventually I should like to see if I can sort out the module problems
with the newer kernel (and/or any later ones that come along), but for
now I just try to remember to boot 2.6.8.11.  The trouble is, I keep
forgetting to select it from the Grub menu, and then have to reboot.

So for the time being I want to make this the default kernel.

At the moment the relevant parts of my /boot/grub/menu/lst read:

## default num
default		0

<snip>

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-19-generic
uuid		49b44e1c-fa4b-44cd-bc12-42f656b32f63
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-19-generic
root=UUID=49b44e1c-fa4b-44cd-bc12-42f656b32f63 ro quiet 
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-19-generic
quiet

title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-19-generic (recovery mode)
uuid		49b44e1c-fa4b-44cd-bc12-42f656b32f63
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-19-generic
root=UUID=49b44e1c-fa4b-44cd-bc12-42f656b32f63 ro  single
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-19-generic

title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid		49b44e1c-fa4b-44cd-bc12-42f656b32f63
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic
root=UUID=49b44e1c-fa4b-44cd-bc12-42f656b32f63 ro quiet 
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet

title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid		49b44e1c-fa4b-44cd-bc12-42f656b32f63
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic
root=UUID=49b44e1c-fa4b-44cd-bc12-42f656b32f63 ro  single
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic


As I understand it, all I need to do is to change the line 'default 0'
to 'default saved', to add the line 'savedefault' below the third kernel
entry, and to run the command 'grub-set-default default'.

However, despite having read the Grub Manual, I don't feel confident
that I have got this exactly right.  And as I don't have any other way
of booting the machine, I need to get it right first time.

Can somebody please confirm that the above 3 steps are all I need to do,
or, if I have got it wrong, tell me what I should do?

Incidentally, what does the line 'quiet' do?  It doesn't seem to be
documented.

Thanks in advance.

-- 
David Sumbler <david at aeolia.co.uk>