SOLVED? Upgrade stops at installing grub-pc

[Runaway1956]

I've read the release notes. I did specify when asked that grub should be set up on SDA, the same place that it was originally set up. This is my second installation and update this weekend, with the same result. The first time, I simply rebooted and reinstalled LMDE. This time, I just walked away from the machine, and I'm posing on another computer. It should be noted that as upgrade progresses, bits and pieces of the system become unresponsive. For instance, I'm unable to restart my browser, to post on this forum from that machine.

Tail of the installation log looks about like this:

setting up grub-pc common 1.99-22.1
installing new version of config file /etc/bash_completion.d/grub
installing new version of config file /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen
installing new version of config file /etc/grub.d/10_linux
installing new version of config file /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober
installing new version of config file /etc/grub.d/00_header
setting up grub2-common 1.99-22.1
setting up grub-pc-bin 1.99-22.1
setting up grub-pc 1.99-22.1

I have slow DSL, and it takes more than an hour to download all the updates, so I just hate to try again. The computer sits there with the cursor blinking below "setting up grub-pc", waiting for me to do something about it.

I can't remember precisely which installation media I'm using - I believe it's from April of 2012. I used the same installation media to install onto the computer I'm posting from. This machine upgraded to UP4 without issues.

I'm looking forward to the release of an updated installation ISO - download once, use forever!!

[Runaway1956]

Oh - great! I tried again to open Firefox, and it worked, so I'm logged in from the troubled machine!

I opened a terminal, and oddly, I have no echo in the terminal. Experimenting, I was able to log in as SU - so the terminal is open. I just can't see any of my input as I type in the terminal.

Anyway - I may be able to do something useful now, if anyone suggests something useful! The update manager is still open, the cursor is still blinking, and I need to decide whether to end the process, or reboot, or what to do!

EDIT:
Wait - while I was typing, a little window popped up, titled "deb conf" asking where I wanted to install grub. Strange - I swear that some part of the script already asked that - whatever -

I told it to use SDA, everything seemed to freeze for a couple seconds, the popup went away, and two or three seconds later, Upgrade Manager picked up where it left off.

I may very well be booted to a working system before anyone replies to this thread!!

[Runaway1956]

I am now booted into a seemingly working system. Initial login gave me the Cinnamon desktop. Logged out, and logged back in, choosing the Classic desktop. It doesn't look right - but it seems to be working.

Problem solved - strangely enough. Any additional issues will be posted in more appropriate forums.