This error was from a bare-bones debian-science: "isohybrid: binary-hybrid.iso: seek error - 6: Invalid argument" LB_BINARY_IMAGES="iso-hybrid" LB_DISTRIBUTION="squeeze" LB_PACKAGES_LISTS="debian-science" LB_TASKS="" LB_PACKAGES="" http://live-build.debian.net/build/20110314.190214.504320377/