grub problem

[ulrich steffens]

hi list,
i was away for a few month, so please forgive me if this question was
asked before! (though i searched the list and couldn't find anything).

the problem is as follows:
when the computer boots, i only see a blinking cursor in the upper left
corner, then after the timeout, grub prints the menu.lst entry of the
selected kernel and the screen gets filled with white dots. after that,
usplash starts and everything is back to normal.

the problem is, if i hit Esc while the cursor blinks, i can't see a
thing so navigating through the list with kernels and os'es is a bit
difficult :)

i would be happy to sole this problem!

thanks in advance
 - ulrich

here's my /boot/grub/menu.lst

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#            grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
#            and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from
0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default
entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
default         0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the
default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout         5

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
# hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
# color cyan/blue white/blue

## 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

#
# examples
#
# title         Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root          (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader   +1
#
# title         Linux
# root          (hd0,1)
# kernel        /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
##      kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/hda3 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,0)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with
the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/default-splash.xpm.gz

title           Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro quiet splash
initrd          /initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
savedefault
boot

title           Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-23-386 (recovery mode)
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /vmlinuz-2.6.15-23-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro single
initrd          /initrd.img-2.6.15-23-386
boot

title           Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-22-386
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /vmlinuz-2.6.15-22-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro quiet splash
initrd          /initrd.img-2.6.15-22-386
savedefault
boot

title           Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-22-386 (recovery mode)
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /vmlinuz-2.6.15-22-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro single
initrd          /initrd.img-2.6.15-22-386
boot

title           Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-21-386
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /vmlinuz-2.6.15-21-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro quiet splash
initrd          /initrd.img-2.6.15-21-386
savedefault
boot

title           Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-21-386 (recovery mode)
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /vmlinuz-2.6.15-21-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro single
initrd          /initrd.img-2.6.15-21-386
boot

title           Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-16-386
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /vmlinuz-2.6.15-16-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro quiet splash
initrd          /initrd.img-2.6.15-16-386
savedefault
boot

title           Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-16-386 (recovery mode)
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /vmlinuz-2.6.15-16-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro single
initrd          /initrd.img-2.6.15-16-386
boot

title           Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-15-386
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /vmlinuz-2.6.15-15-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro quiet splash
initrd          /initrd.img-2.6.15-15-386
savedefault
boot

title           Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-15-386 (recovery mode)
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /vmlinuz-2.6.15-15-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro single
initrd          /initrd.img-2.6.15-15-386
boot

title           Ubuntu, memtest86+
root            (hd0,0)
kernel          /memtest86+.bin
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the
Debian
# ones.
title           Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux
OS
# on /dev/hdb1
title           Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root            (hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map             (hd0) (hd1)
map             (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader     +1