GRUB Detect USB Device [Prompt To Boot] Otherwise Do Default

[garethadams]

Hi all,

I've got an Acer Travelmate 2410 and, although it will boot from a USB flash drive, it "forgets" that I've told it to when the USB flash drive is removed so I have to go into the BIOS and tell it again to boot from USB everytime I want it to. PITA.

I'm now running a purely Linux system so I've got GRUB installed and running every time I boot. What I was wondering was:
1. Can GRUB boot from a USB flash drive?
2. If so, is it possible for GRUB to check if a bootable USB flash drive is plugged in and, if it is, show the boot menu, otherwise go straight into Linux?

I may be expecting too much from GRUB but I can hope!

Thanks

Gareth

[garethadams]

Actually, nevermind - it's a stupid question! If I'm going to do that I may as well just create a small partition and use GRUB to boot from that.

Gareth

[jkrug]

Hi,

I don't know if you haven't already tried, but can't you edit your boot device list in your BIOS? Simply add your USB device to the boot device list before the HD. (I don't know exactly which BIOS you are using so I can't tell you how exactly to do it, but it should be easy to find.) I've had a Linux system installed on an USB stick using GRUB and this worked for me. If your USB stick is not plugged in, your BIOS tries the next BOOT device so GRUB has nothing to do at all.

Cheers
jkrug

[garethadams]

Hi,

Yeah, I can change the boot order in the BIOS which works great...until I unplug the USB drive and boot without it. The boot order then gets reset and, if I plug the USB drive back in and re-boot, the USB drive is added below the HD.

I've got the latest BIOS updates so if I want to do this I have to go into the BIOS each time.

Gareth