Everything else works fine (for a P3@500MHz) but when I boot the system Grub is scrambled. After it boots to the default selection, everything returns to normal and I can read the boot messages.

Any idea why this is happening? I'm not really sure what the grub menu should look like (graphics of purely text - I've used grub before).

(Side note: I needed to build a server and went sifting through my spare parts and found the old Voodoo card and said "Hey, Why not?" I think I have an ELSA Gloria card around here somewhere too. But I figured the Trident 9000i card might be a little weak.)

Excuse me, what is your problem?

You said you don't know how it looks like, well you can have a look here; http://wiki.debian.org/Grub/SplashImage

I'm using a Voodoo3 2000 pci video card and Grub is scrambled. I'm not sure if it is purely text mode, or if it has a 14 color image as well (which is requiring graphics). So I'm not sure how exactly to diagnose it. All I know is when the Grub menu should be display I get scrambled diagonal lines on my monitor until it automatically continues the boot sequence. Once it starts loading the kernel and actually booting the system, it's fine. I just can't see Grub.

I've used Grub before and I know what it's supposed to look like for text only, and I've even set it up for Splashy. However in this case I'm not sure what is wrong with it taht it won't display properly.

So,

A, Is the default Grub menu for Squeeze graphical or text?
B, What can I do to get it to display correctly?

Thanks. Sorry if I was confusing. I'm confused myself. I think I'm more confused now. Maybe I should just be quiet.

The graphics in grub are improving all the time. You do seem to have a video problem.

Can you read the menu at all? If so a temp fix would be to edit the /etc/default/grub file so that you have a longer time out. You could also look at some of the other options in there to see if there is anything that strikes you as maybe useful.

I have no knowledge at all about your card so can't really help beyond that.

There are a number of things that I know that will help booting with a card that has shaky support in the OS AFTER the menu. A bad menu screen and fine after that is a new one. I will watch this with great interest.

No, nothing discernable at all. Perhaps the VESA capabilities are too obsolete? Really its completely scrambled.

Default Grub menu for Squeeze is just like this; http://screenshots.debian.net/package/grub ... just different version and with different background picture.

I say that it's a little strange that only GRUB is scrambled.

But before anything else, can you upload a screenshot or something? That would be great if you can.

Here is a video of exactly what happens. (Note: sometimes it'll get zig-zaggy before the monitor's "Frequency Over Range" message appears.)
http://youtu.be/Eg78jOvc-vo

For the technically curious the monitor is an Optiquest Q51

Key words here are Frequency over range. I never had that problem, but it is obviously a monitor problem.

You can check your refresh rate and things like that. Play a little with your monitor settings. Sorry I don't have time now, but a quick google search found this;

Supporting the above statement quoted by allan_ri, I suggest changing grub's resolution to something less, like 640*480, by altering the "#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480" option in /etc/default/grub.
Don't forget to remove the # from that line and run "update-grub" to make the changes to the relevant file.

On second thought, install grub-legacy.

It can be that the frequency is higher or lower than the monitor can handle, but let's face it... monitors aren't that smart. Usually (and more likely), it's a screen resolution problem.

But in this case, it's a 80x25 text, switching to whatever Grub is trying to do and them back again after? I was under the impression that the resolution Grub was set to was passed along to the Kernel and the system boots that way.

Edit: /etc/default/grub

GRUB_GFXMODE=800X600 (currently)

I switched it to 640x480 and this is what I get....

Attached Thumbnails

 

It looks like it's a framebuffer issue. The easy way out and a quick way of testing is:

Which will remove the grub theme and revert to a standard text mode menu.

You can reinstall it later if needed...

Why does that sound like it will affect more than just Grub?

It's actually a load of "branding", i.e. the spacefun theme. It will effect more than just grub but can be reinstalled as with any debian package. It's just an easier way of checking if the framebuffer is the culprit...

<Sifting through discs to find OEM Voodoo3 Divers>