Installing grub2

[Matt x]

   If someone is willing to help me with my issue with grub legacy 
(0.97) instead of me having to test it with grub2 first, I'd rather 
that.  Please skip this junk to where it says <line break> "Issue with 
grub legacy:".
   I've been told, both while installing grub (legacy), and on #grub, 
that I should check whether problems I'm having with grub (legacy) are 
also in grub2.  Therefore, I'm trying to install grub2.  I'm using 
Gentoo, with the grub-1.96 package from portage, if it matters.
   After I install and run grub-install --no-floppy /dev/sda1 (which 
DOES probe the floppy, no matter what --help says) and reboot, I just 
get a grub rescue prompt.  I understand that grub2 uses grub.cfg instead 
of grub.conf, but I haven't been able to find any documentation about 
any part of grub2, including how to write grub.cfg and where it is 
expected to be.  I don't see enough commands in 'help' at the grub 
rescue shell to boot a system.  Commands I try from grub legacy don't 
all work ("kernel <path>/<kernel>" replies that there's no command 
"kernel" and "boot" replies that there's no kernel loaded.)
   I asked on #grub for assistance installing grub2, and was told to 
post here, along with the output of lsmod, set, and ls at the grub 
rescue prompt.  Here they are:
<code>
> lsmod
Name    Ref     Count   Dependencies
_chain  1
biosdisk        1
pc      1
ext2    1
fshelp  2               fshelp
> set
prefix = (hd0,1)/grub
root = hd0,1
> ls

>
</code>
   I would be happy just getting my issue with grub legacy (0.97) 
fixed, but apparently I'm supposed to try it with grub2 first.

Issue with grub legacy:
   I recently installed Windows VA (if the version matters) on (hd1,0), 
then reinstalled grub on (hd0).  The problem started now, and continued 
when I installed WinXP over WinVA.
   If the Windows partition is marked bootable, grub will not run at 
boot, but Windows will boot.  This happens whether the partition grub's 
files are on (hd0,0) is marked bootable or not, and happens whichever 
drive is first in the BIOS.
   Setting the Windows partition not bootable allows grub to run on 
boot, but Windows will not start from grub when I wish; after choosing 
the menu item, it will spit out the text from that item for me, then 
just sit there, looking stupid.  The Windows portion of my grub.conf at 
this point says:
<code>
title=Windows XP
lock
rootnoverify (hd1)
chainloader +1
</code>
   Changing rootnoverify to (hd1,0) causes another problem (I can write 
down and post the error if need be.)  Adding makeactive after 
rootnoverify will not allow Windows to boot when I select Windows from 
grub... until I reboot, at which point only Windows boots - grub doesn't 
run.
   How do I get my machine / grub to act like it did until recently: 
grub runs at boot, and I can boot either Linux or Windows from it?

-Matt