RebootInto is a set of Python scripts to allow you to easily reboot into your favorite operating system by clicking icons in your native operating system. No longer do you have to wait for your computer to reboot before selecting your new operating system, with RebootInto you can make the selection directly within your current OS. Perfect for dual-booting Windows and Linux.
Update 2007-06-30: Mac OS X lets you select your next boot OS within your current OS, much like RebootInto (System Preferences -> Startup Disk). For the record, I didn't know about this feature of OS X before I implemented RebootInto, but I mention this so that those familiar with OS X can get a better idea of what RebootInto is.
Update 2008-04-27: Another tool similar to RebootInto is NeoSmart Technologies iReboot. I haven't used it.
RebootInto icons screenshots: (click thumbnail for larger image)
Ubuntu Linux Edgy Eft | Windows XP |
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GRUB Legacy (the most common version of GRUB; not PUPA) is required.
Icons can be created inside:
Icon support should be relatively easy to add for other operating systems and GUIs (patches welcome), but in either case, the icons will be created for all OS's listed in GRUB's menu.lst.
First, you need to install Python and if you do not have it already, GRUB Legacy. For Windows, ActivePython is recommended (the normal Python Windows distribution will probably work, but you'll have to install the Win32 libraries—win32com and win32api separately.)
Your boot partition must be writable in the operating systems in which you wish to have "reboot into X" icons available. I currently use ext2 for my /boot filesystem. FAT32 may also work but it has not been tested. For convenience, here is a non-exhaustive list of filesystem support in various OS's:
/boot Partition Filesystem | Linux? | Windows? |
---|---|---|
FAT | Yes | Yes |
ext2 | Yes | Writable using ext2 IFS |
ext3 | Yes | Writable using ext2 IFS |
Reiserfs | Yes | 2 Read-only with rfstool, not usable with RebootInto |
NTFS | 3 ??? See below | Yes |
2 Tip: if necessary, use the Gnome Partition Editor LiveCD to shrink your / and create a compatible /boot.
3 Look into GRUB4DOS and WinGRUB and GRUB bug #9180, NTFS patch for Grub 0.94. I haven't tried either.
Now clicking an icon corresponding to an operating system will run reboot-into.py. This program sets the default OS (just like grub-set-default included with GRUB) and reboots. Try it out in each of your supported operating systems.
Contact me at jeffconnelly [AT] users.sourceforge.net if you have any comments, questions, patches, etc. You can also use the forums on the project page for additional feedback. Hope you enjoy using RebootInto!