My experience installing Unbuntu after a fresh install of Windows 7 and then trying to return Windows 7 to the default boot. I ramble for a moment, but feel free to skip down to the list for instructions.

Hello all. Just last night I decided to reformat my parent’s/sister’s machine and install a new copy of Windows 7. It was just slow and corrupted in a variety of ways and needed to be done.

Anyways, I thought “Hey, maybe I should partition away 10-20 gigs and install Ubuntu on there too”. I know they’ll never use it and I wouldn’t recommend they do (they’ll get confused…) but I thought I’d like to fool around with it a bit. Plus, if Windows gets bunged up I can tell them to boot up Ubuntu and at least they’ll have Firefox and OpenOffice to use without any issues.

Well, so far I’m pretty impressed with Ubuntu. Although I’m pretty impressed with Windows 7 too. Actually, I like MacOs too. I’m not really a fanatic about OS’s in general. I plan on eventually transcending the OS by connecting my brain directly to the motherboard and communicating to it using telepathic musical tones. My productivity should then increase by at least 15%.

Now, on to the point…. Although Ubuntu installed very nicely and easily and configured it’s boot loader to allow me to choose Windows 7 on startup, it – naturally – made itself default. It seems the way to change this may have recently changed in Ubuntu (I’m using 9.10). Here’s how I did it:

1. Go Application -> Accessories -> Terminal
2. Type this (it may ask you for your admin password):

sudo gedit /etc/default/grub

3. Find this:

GRUB_DEFAULT=0

4. Change the number to correspond to the placement of your desired OS in the boot menu that comes up at start up. Mine was 7 because I was messing around and Windows 7 happened to come up 7th in the list. Most likely yours will be 4.
5. Save and close.
6. Go have a poptart.
7. Type this:

SUDO UPDATE-GRUB

8. Restart and you’ll find the boot menu will highlight your choice as default.