The graphical capabilities in grub2 are supposedly rather sophisticated nowadays. Graphical boot can be disabled by uncommenting GRUB_TERMINAL=console in /etc/default/grub and running update-grub. This is probably better for your monitor anyways.
I would think there are certain modules in grub2 that are responsible for this, but I am not familiar with troubleshooting them other than version-hopping, not unlike you have done. I might suggest installing a more recent version of grub not yet in 14.04 to see if a more recent version has fixed this. Here's how we can install grub2-2.02~beta2-18 (while it's available): mkdir grub2.02b2-18 cd grub2.02b2-18 wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/grub2/grub-common_2.02~beta2-18_i386.deb wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/grub2/grub2-common_2.02~beta2-18_i386.deb wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/grub2/grub2_2.02~beta2-18_i386.deb wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/grub2/grub-pc_2.02~beta2-18_i386.deb wget http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/grub2/grub-pc-bin_2.02~beta2-18_i386.deb sudo dpkg -i *.deb We can downgrade back if necessary, but what could possibly go wrong? sudo apt-get install grub2-common=2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1 grub2=2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1 grub-pc=2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1 grub- common=2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1 grub-pc-bin=2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1 (2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1 is the current version for 14.04 at the moment; change this for each package if this no longer the case.) I wouldn't think the chipset is an issue, but I don't have any 845PE-based machines on me at the moment. According to the chipset specifications, this model does not have onboard video, so if you happen to have another AGP graphics card, I would suggest swapping to see if the graphics card is indeed an issue. ** Changed in: grub2 (Ubuntu) Status: New => Incomplete -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1352523 Title: Ubuntu 14.04 i386 will not boot on Dell Dimension 4600 To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/1352523/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
