Hmmm, I've always used the "full path", in fact I have
GRUB_DEFAULT="1>2" Explanation: The first entry is 0, the second is 1 etc etc..In my GRUB I have the kernel 686pae as first entry. The second entry is "other options" (or something alike), so I select this second entry (1) and then in the second menu I need to select the third entry (2) which is the 586 kernel.
Hence "1>2"
