after 10.10 upgrade grub will not count down as previously

You will have to edit file /etc/grub/default and run after "sudo update-grub".
Also have a look in bug section of grub2, it seems I saw such an issue.

Following is my grub file. What should I change?

# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update
# /boot/grub/grub.cfg.

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
##GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=" quiet vga=769"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=" gfxpayload=true gfxpayload=640x480x8"
# Uncomment to enable BadRAM filtering, modify to suit your needs
# This works with Linux (no patch required) and with any kernel that obtains
# the memory map information from GRUB (GNU Mach, kernel of FreeBSD ...)
#GRUB_BADRAM="0x01234567,0xfefefefe,0x89abcdef,0xefefefef"

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)
#GRUB_TERMINAL=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'
#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_RECOVERY="true"

# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start
#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Grub2#grub%20%28/etc/default/grub%29

GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
    This is the number of seconds before the default entry is automatically booted.
    Setting a value of -1 will display the menu until the user makes a selection (no timeout).

GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
      The hidden timeout option is available to single-OS computers - if multiple OS's are known to Grub 2, this option is bypassed.
      On single-OS systems, the menu will be hidden unless a # symbol is present at the beginning of this line. ( # GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0 )
    * The default setting initially depends on the presence of other operating systems.
          o Another OS Detected: The menu will be displayed. ( The line will begin with a # symbol. )
          o No other OS Detected: This setting is not used, as determined by the
    * For integers greater than 0, the system will pause, but not display the menu, for the entered number of seconds.
      0 The menu will not be displayed. There will be no delay.
          o The user may force displaying the menu as the computer boots by holding down the SHIFT key (single-OS computers only).
                + During boot, the system will check the SHIFT key status. If it cannot determine the key status, a short delay will enable the user to display the menu by pressing the ESC key.
                + If enabled, the splash screen designated in 05_debian_theme will be displayed even if the hidden menu feature is selected.

GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
    * true - No countdown is displayed. The screen will be blank.
    * false - A counter will display on a blank screen for the duration of the GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT value.

Set GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET = false.

I set GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true to GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=false
as suggested. Then sudo update-grub.

No change. Still am not getting the countdown upon booting up. it is
not really a major problem simply means I have to Enter when booting up.

Any other suggestions??

Dave W

On Fri, 2010-10-22 at 06:18 +0000, delance wrote:
> Your question #130468 on grub2 in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+question/130468
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> delance proposed the following answer:
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Grub2#grub%20%28/etc/default/grub%29
>
> GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
> This is the number of seconds before the default entry is automatically booted.
> Setting a value of -1 will display the menu until the user makes a selection (no timeout).
>
> GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
> The hidden timeout option is available to single-OS computers - if multiple OS's are known to Grub 2, this option is bypassed.
> On single-OS systems, the menu will be hidden unless a # symbol is present at the beginning of this line. ( # GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0 )
> * The default setting initially depends on the presence of other operating systems.
> o Another OS Detected: The menu will be displayed. ( The line will begin with a # symbol. )
> o No other OS Detected: This setting is not used, as determined by the
> * For integers greater than 0, the system will pause, but not display the menu, for the entered number of seconds.
> 0 The menu will not be displayed. There will be no delay.
> o The user may force displaying the menu as the computer boots by holding down the SHIFT key (single-OS computers only).
> + During boot, the system will check the SHIFT key status. If it cannot determine the key status, a short delay will enable the user to display the menu by pressing the ESC key.
> + If enabled, the splash screen designated in 05_debian_theme will be displayed even if the hidden menu feature is selected.
>
> GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
> * true - No countdown is displayed. The screen will be blank.
> * false - A counter will display on a blank screen for the duration of the GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT value.
>
>
> Set GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET = false.
>

Do you only have Ubuntu or also XP ?

I have two hard disks. Each have two partitions.

On disk #1 I have Ubuntu on Disk #2 I have XP. The other partitions
are used for backups.

On Mon, 2010-10-25 at 08:27 +0000, delance wrote:
> Your question #130468 on grub2 in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+question/130468
>
> Status: Open => Needs information
>
> delance requested for more information:
> Do you only have Ubuntu or also XP ?
>

You should raise a bug.
You must report in bug:
   that you have both XP and Ubuntu
   that you have done "sudo update-grub" after having edited file /etc/grub/default
   that the countdown doesn't start
and attach file /etc/grub/default

to whoever will report this "bug," the fix is http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=64857#5