Interestingly some time after the report I have noticed this behavior on my laptop with fglrx too. But after upgrading both systems to the Linux kernel 3.12 (Ubuntu 14.04 dev with linux-image-generic 3.12.0.2.4) the bug is gone. I'm seeing the complete output on booting and setting quiet will suppress it as expected. So it seems this was more a kernel issue than an issue with grub.
** Also affects: grub Importance: Undecided Status: New ** No longer affects: grub ** Package changed: grub2 (Ubuntu) => linux-meta (Ubuntu) ** Changed in: linux-meta (Ubuntu) Status: New => Fix Released -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Kernel Packages, which is subscribed to linux-meta in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/840987 Title: Implicit "quiet" on empty GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT Status in “linux-meta” package in Ubuntu: Fix Released Bug description: I'm using Ubuntu 11.10 dev with grub2 1.99-11ubuntu1, a GeForce 8600 GT and nvidia-current 280.13-0ubuntu2. In /etc/default/grub GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT is empty and GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX is set to 1680x1050-24. After update-grub and a reboot my screen is the most time black. On a few seconds before X switches to my login manager I see some output. If I delete the line with GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX I see the complete output on a reboot (but the resolution is 640x480). I have tested this on VirtualBox too and there is all working fine. I must there explicit set "quite" in GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT to get the broken behaviour of my real system. To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-meta/+bug/840987/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kernel-packages Post to : kernel-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kernel-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp