Understanding the GRUB 2 bootloader
Serving Up GRUB
© Photo by Bas Peperzak on Unsplash
Deeper knowledge of the GRUB 2 bootloader will help you with troubleshooting and customizing your Linux boot environment.
Initially released in 1995, the GRUB bootloader has been around for 30 years. A major rewrite began around 2002 resulting in GRUB 2. Even today, the overwhelming majority of Linux computers continue to rely on GRUB.
Despite GRUB's advanced age, most Linux users are only vaguely aware of GRUB's existence. GRUB typically operates silently in the background – the average user doesn't notice it during operating system installation or the boot process. If a user does see GRUB, this typically means something has gone seriously wrong. Because attempting to understand GRUB in that moment creates significant stress, you should have at least a basic understanding of GRUB's architecture and configuration so that you know your recovery options should a crisis arise.
The GRUB bootloader is actually called GRUB 2 to distinguish it from the first version. I will use the name GRUB 2 even though the old version isn't really around anymore.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
KDE Unleashes Plasma 6.5
The Plasma 6.5 desktop environment is now available with new features, improvements, and the usual bug fixes.
-
Xubuntu Site Possibly Hacked
It appears that the Xubuntu site was hacked and briefly served up a malicious ZIP file from its download page.
-
LMDE 7 Now Available
Linux Mint Debian Edition, version 7, has been officially released and is based on upstream Debian.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Reaches EOL
Linux kernel 6.16 has reached its end of life, which means you'll need to upgrade to the next stable release, Linux kernel 6.17.
-
Amazon Ditches Android for a Linux-Based OS
Amazon has migrated from Android to the Linux-based Vega OS for its Fire TV.
-
Cairo Dock 3.6 Now Available for More Compositors
If you're a fan of third-party desktop docks, then the latest release of Cairo Dock with Wayland support is for you.
-
System76 Unleashes Pop!_OS 24.04 Beta
System76's first beta of Pop!_OS 24.04 is an impressive feat.
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 is Available
Linus Torvalds has announced that the latest kernel has been released with plenty of core improvements and even more hardware support.
-
Kali Linux 2025.3 Released with New Hacking Tools
If you're a Kali Linux fan, you'll be glad to know that the third release of this famous pen-testing distribution is now available with updates for key components.
-
Zorin OS 18 Beta Available for Testing
The latest release from the team behind Zorin OS is ready for public testing, and it includes plenty of improvements to make it more powerful, user-friendly, and productive.