GRUB menu with themes to force display on external monitor

Ask Fedora
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1

Since my system is halftop, I worry every kernel updates and system upgrades will knock me over since GRUB boot menu only display on internal display which died. I found an interesting forum that someone managed to make the boot menu displayed using GRUB theme instead of console granted that i think this person is on a desktop not a laptop. So can I apply this using the same theme for laptop and could it be displayed to the external HDMI monitor?

Also I think the HDMI port is connected to integrated INTEL graphics:

grep -i “connected” /var/log/Xorg.0.log

PT8HOME=/opt/pt

[30.728] (II) modeset(0): Output eDP-1 connected

[30.728] (II)modeset(0): Output HDMI-1 connected

The exact laptop model is Lenovo Y50-70 with dual GPU setup (Intel integrated and NVIDIA GTX 860M) Fedora 41. I also wondering, in order to install this themes should I use manual installation or use grub-customizer

2

Excellent question. I did a search and some people say that some BIOSs have settings to change the default monitor - including ThinkPads. Anything in your BIOS that could do it? That would be the easiest way.

3

None I believe, it’s an ancient laptop with ancient BIOS. Though even if it did, I will have a hard time configuring it since the main display died and BIOS only output to laptop display.

4

Does your grub currently display on HDMI now?
You may be able to modify grub with something like:
video=HDMI-1:e

d = disable
e = enable

Edit ..
If you’re not comfortable messing with grub or have good backups or have a way to recover I wouldn’t mess with the below.

To get the needed information:
sudo grubby --info=ALL`

Figure out a kernel you want to try this with, I would not suggest doing this with all of them, I would pick one that booted that isn’t currently the default.
Note the Index value of this entry for later ..

update-kernel will look like /boot/vmlinuz-6.17.0-0.rc5.42.fc43.x86_64
sudo grubby --update-kernel=kernel you want to boot from --args="video=HDML-1:e"

to undo it ..
sudo grubby --update-kernel=kernel you want to boot from --remove-args="video=HDML-1:e"

to boot to that kernel you would use:
sudo grub2-reboot index# for the modified kernel

5

No its still on laptop display and nothing showing in external monitor. I have considering your solution since it is similar to this post however someone pointed out on that post, the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX is just setting the console output once kernel is selected meaning after GRUB boot menu and another person also said the same thing it does not display the GRUB menu. Although I have not tried this. Im interested in the forum (original post) that they are able to make GRUB menu appear on both monitors using GRUB theme instead of console although it is a desktop.