Purpose: Are you tired of seeing the plain old (black background and blue blox) Grub screen when you turn on your computer to boot Linux? If yes, then here is a quick and easy way to install a fancy Grub Image in less than 2 minutes.

Note: This is not the same as installing “bootsplash” image when Linux kernel boots. We will leave that for some other day. Although there are many websites over the internet which explains how to do that.

Step 1: Install Grub Splash Image package

On your Debian Linux system, give the following command:

apt-get update
apt-get install grub-splashimages

Step 2: Check out the default Grub Splash Images

All the default images are stored at the following locations:

ls /boot/grub/splashimages/

bike_gua.xpm.gz debian-moreblue-swirl.xpm.gz gnome-debblue.xpm.gz
biosplash.xpm.gz debsplash.xpm.gz gnucheese.xpm.gz
CRW_7206_14.xpm.gz fiesta.xpm.gz guitar.xpm.gz
debblue.xpm.gz firework.xpm.gz gunhole.xpm.gz
debian_grey1-14col.xpm.gz gentleblue.xpm.gz menu-sta.xpm.gz

Step 3: Edit menu.lst file

After you choose any one image from the above, you will need to edit your menu.lst file in /boot/grub directory to tell GRUB loader to load the Splash Screen. To do this give the following command:

nano /boot/grub/menu.list

Add the line: splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splashimages/debsplash.xpm.gz

somewhere in the beginning of your menu.list file. I added mine at the following location:

##timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 5
# Pretty colours
color cyan/blue white/blue
# Add the GRUB Splash Screen
splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splashimages/debsplash.xpm.gz
## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command ‘lock’
# e.g. password topsecret
# password –md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

Now save the file and reboot your system to see your new shiny ritzy GRUB Splash Image as seen here:

Debian Lenny Grub Splash Image

Now you may ask what if I don’t want to use these default images but rather I would like to use an image of my own? Sure you can do that, although you just can’t use any regular image because the GRUB expects the image to be in a particular format. I will soon post an article explaining how to do that.

Till then enjoy your current splash image!!!

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