Bug#239172: debian-installer: multiple hardware detection forgets parameters

[Sebastien <Sebastien.Li-thiao-te@crans.org>]

Package: debian-installer
Severity: grave
Justification: renders package unusable

Hi,

I tried installing debian sarge beta 3 yesterday on a targa Visionary XP-210
laptop computer with first cd installer and net installer. Both failed
during ide-floppy modprobing, as can be expected because the laptop lacks a
floppy drive.

To solve the problem, i tried disabling ide-floppy probing in expert mode.
This time, the installer passed the first hardware detection phase. However,
just before installing base system, the installer probes hardware again, and
freezes upon probing ide-floppy. This probe occurs, even when not
configuring the network.

I could not disable ide-floppy for the second probing, that is to say, debian
installer hardware detection does not seem to remember preferences from one
test to the other. 

Debian-installer seems to probe hardware several times, and cannot be
prevented from doing so.

During first hardware detection phase in expert mode, debian-installer asks
for parameters, but not in the following phases.

When detecting hardware in expert mode, probing of a specific module cannot
be canceled at parameter prompt.

Installation could not be completed on the computer, even with cds known to
be in working state after other installs.