NightOwl

When I install Ubuntu I follow this tutorial and Grub2 is installed into the Ubuntu partition. You can't install Grub2 into the MBR and still have a functioning BIBM.

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/kb/article.php?id=279

In the TeraByte forum thread I quoted, Tom Pfeifer said he'd check other Linux distros for the same issue. I used to think the TeraByte apps imaged the first 63 sectors whenever an image was created but they must image more sectors than 63 as you are able to restore 103 sectors. (By the way, there is no option about backing up sectors, only restoring them) In the above situation, restoring an Ubuntu image to a new HD, you would put 0 in the First Track Sectors  field and the appropriate number of sectors will be restored.

I can't answer your technical questions about Grub2.

NightOwl

You can run IFL from a CD, USB flash drive and a "bootfile". In addition it can be installed in a Linux OS but unlike IFW, it can only image non-OS partitions.

One advantage of IFL over IFD is it accesses the HD directly without using the BIOS. Depending on your BIOS, IFD sometimes doesn't see a USB external HD. IFL will see a USB external HD. IFD doesn't have networking. IFL does. If you get a chance have a look at the latest IFL GUI disk. It is very impressive with extra tools such as the OSDTool to assist with restoring to "different" hardware. I had fun restoring laptop images to desktops and getting the OS to load.