Linux grub mkconfig Guide - ryzendew/Linux-Tips-and-Tricks GitHub Wiki

Linux grub-mkconfig Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to grub-mkconfig on Linux, covering Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions including GRUB configuration generation, boot menu creation, and GRUB setup.

Table of Contents

  1. Understanding grub-mkconfig
  2. grub-mkconfig Basics
  3. Generating Configuration
  4. GRUB Configuration
  5. Troubleshooting

Understanding grub-mkconfig

What is grub-mkconfig?

grub-mkconfig generates GRUB configuration.

Uses:

  • Generate config: Create GRUB configuration
  • Boot menu: Generate boot menu
  • Kernel detection: Detect installed kernels
  • GRUB setup: Set up GRUB bootloader

Why it matters:

  • Boot configuration: Configure boot menu
  • Kernel updates: Update after kernel install
  • GRUB management: Manage GRUB bootloader

grub-mkconfig Basics

Generate Config

Basic usage:

# Generate GRUB configuration
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

# -o = output (config file)

Preview Output

Test generation:

# Preview (no write)
sudo grub-mkconfig

# Shows config without writing

Generating Configuration

Standard Location

Default output:

# Standard location
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

# For BIOS systems
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

# For UEFI systems
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/EFI/grub/grub.cfg

After Kernel Install

Update after kernel:

# After installing new kernel
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

# Updates boot menu

GRUB Configuration

Configuration Files

Edit config:

# Main config template
sudo vim /etc/default/grub

# Scripts in /etc/grub.d/

Custom Entries

Add entries:

# Custom entries in
sudo vim /etc/grub.d/40_custom

# Add custom boot entries

Troubleshooting

grub-mkconfig Not Found

Check installation:

# Check grub
which grub-mkconfig

# Install if missing
sudo pacman -S grub

Summary

This guide covered grub-mkconfig usage, GRUB configuration generation, and boot menu creation for Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions.

Next Steps

This guide covers Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other Linux distributions. For distribution-specific details, refer to your distribution's documentation.