Install Troubles with IDE CD-Rom on notebook

[stuman]

I'm relatively new to Debian and not exactly an old hand with linux in general. I have tried Red Hat, Mandrake 9.2 and even Solaris, but I like the Debian package management best.

I am trying to install Sarge on a Compaq notebook with the netinst image. The machine boots from the CD just fine, but when linux is looking for devices, it loses the CD. It disables it so completely that the "open" button on the drive itself doesn't work anymore, and I have to hard power down and start back up in order to remove the CD from the drive. This is with the install 31r0 and with 31r1 install images.

Has anyone encountered this before? Is there a solution?

I use Debian Sarge in a virtual machine (VMWare Workstation 4) on the Compaq notebook (along with several others) but would rather run Debian as the host.

[zonkies]

I remember installing with the netinstall and the Cd usually ejects then it will restart then ask what mirror you want to download from.

if that helps

[stuman]

Infortunately, it doesn't help. It hangs up trying to detect the CD. If I tell it no instead of retry, it kills the whole install.