StartUp-Manager - Easiest Way to Modify and Manage GNU GRUB and Your Startup

One of the common different between Windows and Ubuntu, is the GNU GRUB running before your login screen at Ubuntu. It is actually a Multiboot boot loader that let you choose to boot into different version or safe mode of your Ubuntu (more info here).

I am just a beginner in Ubuntu and I am not very sure about the usefulness of this feature in Ubuntu. For me, it is just something the would increase my PC boot time. The problem is if you do not choose or press "enter" key at this GNU GRUB page, it will need to wait for 10 seconds for it to auto choose the default selection. So, what I would like to share here is how to edit the default selection and the "auto selection" timeout/countdown (I am not sure about the proper way of calling it).

If you try to search for "GNU GRUB auto selection" or any similar keyword, there is bunch of guide teaching you how to modify or edit the GNU GRUB default selection and the auto selection timeout. Most of them will instruct you to edit a file called "/boot/grub/menu.lst", and edit some lines in this file. For a very newbie like me, it is not always easy to do all those editing using command-line terminal.

So, what I found after some digging and some try and error, I found a very nice software called StartUp-Manager. You can use command-line to do the installation, but I will rather shows you the easiest way to do this. Go to your Ubuntu Software Center, at your application menu.

Then, Search for "startup-manager", and install it. (I already have mine installed)

After the installation, the StartUp-Manager should be located under System > Administration > Startup-Manager. 

Now you can adjust the Timeout, Default selection, Display, and lots more about your computer startup.

Have a try!