grub2 crashes randomly 'free magic is broken' with multiple disks

Binary package hint: grub-pc

ubuntu 9.10 x86 with latest ubdates and kernel
2.6.31-16-generic #53-Ubuntu SMP
grub-pc 1.97~beta4-1ubuntu4.1

grub2 crashes randomly on boot:

Grub Loading...
Free magic is broken at ....
or
Alloc magic is broken at ...

I have mutiple disks (not raided) and dual boot to winxp.
boot disk is ext4 - data disks are ext3 - see below

is dual core 3Ghz core2duo with 3GB mem - memory is fine no blue screens on xp games and memtest fine
tried live disk reinstall grub - fine for 2 days then on cold boot came back with magic error - same every time - boots on restart afterwards mostly first reboot - sometimes after a few successive reboots.
seemingly unfixable

fdisk -l:

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00041986

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 59672 479315308+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 59673 60801 9068692+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 59673 60801 9068661 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x01ab01ab

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 6374 51199123+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 6375 60800 437176845 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sdb5 6375 38245 256003776 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb6 38246 60800 181173006 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdc: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x289d289c

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 1 60801 488384001 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdd: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe4fb2964

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdd1 1 121601 976760001 83 Linux

/boot/grub/grub.cfg

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s /boot/grub/grubenv ]; then
  have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
  saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
  save_env saved_entry
  prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=640x480
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod vbe
  if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
    # For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
    # understand terminal_output
    terminal gfxterm
  fi
fi
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9
insmod tga
if background_image /usr/share/images/grub/Lake_mapourika_NZ.tga ; then
  set color_normal=black/black
  set color_highlight=magenta/black
else
  set menu_color_normal=white/black
  set menu_color_highlight=black/white
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-16-generic" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 set quiet=1
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,1)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-16-generic root=UUID=8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9 ro splash quiet splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-16-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-16-generic (recovery mode)" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,1)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-16-generic root=UUID=8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9 ro single splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-16-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-15-generic" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 set quiet=1
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,1)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-15-generic root=UUID=8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9 ro splash quiet splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-15-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-15-generic (recovery mode)" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,1)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-15-generic root=UUID=8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9 ro single splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-15-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 set quiet=1
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,1)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9 ro splash quiet splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode)" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,1)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=8207067b-d439-4c68-b1de-2bae8b0d5dc9 ro single splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
 linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
 linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Professional (on /dev/sdb1)" {
 insmod ntfs
 set root=(hd1,1)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 48042ae5042ad5aa
 drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
 chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###