OK - here it comes:
(As you may notice, this machine is actually triple-boot with a 2008WinSrv on sdb3, however, this works OK and the "grub" default-boot problem was exactly the same before installation of the server OS)
============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================
=> Grub 1.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks for
(UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b)/boot/grub.
=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb
sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Dell Utility: Fat16
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:
sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD
sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Windows/System32/winload.exe
sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sda5 starts
at sector 2048.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:
sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:
sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
sdb5: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 9.10
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/menu.lst /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab
/boot/grub/core.img
sdb6: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
sdb3: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files/dirs: /Windows/System32/winload.exe
=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================
Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___
Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x23f68a3b
Partition Boot Start End Size Id System
/dev/sda1 63 80,324 80,262 de Dell Utility
/dev/sda2 * 81,920 30,801,919 30,720,000 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 30,801,920 912,730,856 881,928,937 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 912,732,160 976,771,071 64,038,912 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 912,734,208 976,771,071 64,036,864 7 HPFS/NTFS
Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___
Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x9d4b3eb9
Partition Boot Start End Size Id System
/dev/sdb1 2,048 417,665,023 417,662,976 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 417,673,935 494,818,064 77,144,130 f W95 Ext d (LBA)
/dev/sdb5 417,673,998 480,166,784 62,492,787 83 Linux
/dev/sdb6 480,166,848 494,818,064 14,651,217 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb3 494,818,065 573,733,064 78,915,000 7 HPFS/NTFS
blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________
/dev/sda1: SEC_TYPE="msdos" LABEL="DellUtility" UUID="3030-3030" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sda2: UUID="F4D44968D4492E64" LABEL="RECOVERY" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda3: UUID="DAC84D3FC84D1AE1" LABEL="OS" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda5: UUID="6E0CA4B80CA47D29" LABEL="Data" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sdb1: UUID="2298F50498F4D76F" LABEL="DATAPART1" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sdb3: UUID="01CA922AEE4017E0" LABEL="WinServer2008" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sdb5: UUID="c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sdb6: UUID="e16b1611-f8ec-4f8b-ab68-d42d27737435" TYPE="swap"
=============================== "mount" output: ===============================
/dev/sdb5 on / type ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
none on /sys type sysfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
none on /sys/fs/fuse/connections type fusectl (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/debug type debugfs (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/security type securityfs (rw)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=0620)
none on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
none on /var/run type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
none on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
none on /lib/init/rw type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
binfmt_misc on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
gvfs-fuse-daemon on /home/christer/.gvfs type fuse.gvfs-fuse-daemon (rw,nosuid,nodev,user=christer)
/dev/sr1 on /media/MOBILE_CONNECT type iso9660 (ro,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=devkit,uid=1000,gid=1000, iocharset=utf8,mode=0400,dmode=0500)
=========================== sdb5/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'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default saved
## 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=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro
## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
## 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
## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false
## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=
## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0
## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) 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
## specify if running in Xen domU or have grub detect automatically
## update-grub will ignore non-xen kernels when running in domU and vice versa
## e.g. indomU=detect
## indomU=true
## indomU=false
# indomU=detect
## 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
## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false
## ## End Default Options ##
title Ubuntu 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-18-generic
uuid c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-18-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-18-generic
title Ubuntu 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-18-generic (recovery mode)
uuid c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-18-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-18-generic
title Ubuntu 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-17-generic
uuid c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-17-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-17-generic
title Ubuntu 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-17-generic (recovery mode)
uuid c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-17-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-17-generic
title Ubuntu 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-16-generic
uuid c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-16-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-16-generic
title Ubuntu 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-16-generic (recovery mode)
uuid c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-16-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-16-generic
title Ubuntu 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-15-generic
uuid c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-15-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-15-generic
title Ubuntu 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-15-generic (recovery mode)
uuid c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-15-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-15-generic
title Ubuntu 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-14-generic
uuid c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
title Ubuntu 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode)
uuid c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
title Chainload into GRUB 2
root c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/grub/core.img
title Ubuntu 9.10, memtest86+
uuid c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
=========================== sdb5/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s /boot/grub/grubenv ]; then
have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="6"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
save_env saved_entry
prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=800x600
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=6
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/white
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-17-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-17-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro vga=771 quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-17-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-17-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-17-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro single vga=771
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-17-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro vga=771 quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd1,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b ro single vga=771
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda2)" {
insmod ntfs
set root=(hd0,2)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set f4d44968d4492e64
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
=============================== sdb5/etc/fstab: ===============================
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s UUID' to print the universally unique identifier
# for a device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name
# devices that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# / was on /dev/sdb5 during installation
UUID=c49f8dd1-2cc9-4ae4-ade5-a655bb72801b / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sdb6 during installation
UUID=e16b1611-f8ec-4f8b-ab68-d42d27737435 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0
=================== sdb5: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================
213.8GB: boot/grub/core.img
213.8GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
213.8GB: boot/grub/menu.lst
213.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
213.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-15-generic
213.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-16-generic
213.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-17-generic
213.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-18-generic
213.8GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic
213.8GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-15-generic
213.8GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-16-generic
213.8GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-17-generic
213.8GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-18-generic
213.8GB: initrd.img
213.8GB: initrd.img.old
213.8GB: vmlinuz
213.8GB: vmlinuz.old