If you’ve been using Ubuntu, you might have encountered an error message like /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig: 1: /etc/default/grub: If: not found when trying to run the update-grub command. This error can be confusing, but the good news is that it’s relatively easy to fix. In this article, we’ll explain why this error occurs and how you can resolve it.
The ‘If: not found’ error when running update-grub on Ubuntu is typically caused by a missing # at the beginning of a line in the /etc/default/grub file. By adding the missing #, you can resolve the error and get your system back to normal.
Understanding the Error
The error message is indicating that the command If is not found at line #1 of the /etc/default/grub file. This is because the line starting with If should actually be a comment line starting with #.
In the Linux world, a line starting with # is considered a comment and is ignored by the shell. If the # is missing, the shell will try to interpret the line as a command, which is why you’re seeing this error.
How to Resolve the Error
To fix this error, you need to edit the /etc/default/grub file and insert the missing # at the beginning of the line. Here’s how you can do that:
- Open a terminal window.
- Type in the following command to open the file in a text editor:
sudoedit /etc/default/grubThe sudoedit command opens a file in a text editor with root privileges, which are necessary because /etc/default/grub is a system file.
- Look for the line that starts with
If. It should look something like this:
If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update- Add a
#at the beginning of the line, so it looks like this:
# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update- Save the file and exit the text editor.
After making these changes, you should be able to run sudo update-grub without any issues.
Understanding the GRUB Configuration File
The /etc/default/grub file is the main configuration file for GRUB, the GRand Unified Bootloader. GRUB is used by Ubuntu and many other Linux distributions to manage the system’s boot process.
The file contains several settings that control how GRUB behaves, such as which operating system to boot by default and how long to wait before automatically booting. Each setting is on a separate line and takes the form SETTING=value.
For example, the line GRUB_DEFAULT=0 sets the default operating system to the first one listed in the GRUB boot menu (since the list starts at 0).
Conclusion
The If: not found error when running update-grub on Ubuntu is typically caused by a missing # at the beginning of a line in the /etc/default/grub file. By adding the missing #, you can resolve the error and get your system back to normal.
Remember, whenever you’re dealing with system files, it’s important to be careful and make sure you understand what you’re doing. A small mistake can sometimes have big consequences. But as long as you follow the steps in this guide, you should be able to resolve this error without any problems.
The ‘If: not found’ error occurs when the line starting with ‘If’ in the /etc/default/grub file is missing the ‘#’ symbol at the beginning. This line should be a comment line starting with ‘#’. To resolve the error, you need to edit the /etc/default/grub file and add the ‘#’ at the beginning of the line.
