Grub-question when performing Kernel-upgrade

[Ketjes Jette]

Hi,

- I'm managing a remote machine (it takes quite some time and effort
to get physical access to the machine)
- I'm using grub as boot-loader
- I've got 2 stanza: 0 = new compiled kernel, 1 = old (proven to work) kernel
- I can power-cycle my machine remotely (with PDU from APC)

I am always scared when I take a newly compiled kernel into production
onto this machine !  What if this new kernel gets into a kernel panic
??? It takes a lot of time and effort for me to get to the machine and
correct the problem :(

The thing I was thinking off is the "default" value in grub:
- Let's say that 0 is the new kernel stanza and 1 is the old (good)
stanza
- Let's say that we put default=0 in the grub-config
- At the first boot we would start the new kernel: if I could change
the default value to 1 before the real kernel is booted (no matter if
the kernel can boot or not), than my problem is solved.

Why ?
- if the kernel boots allright, then I can configure grub so it boots
my new (and verified) kernel
- if the kernel hangs (hard), I can recycle the power remotely and the
next time default=1 (= old kernel) and I can correct my problem and
retry over and over

Only: how can I change default right at the boot-menu (without being
able to type anything at boot-time) ?

Kind regards,

Gorik