Question about the new Etch netinstall...

["VDR User" <user.vdr@gmail.com>]

I've noticed a recent trend is people installing (or trying to anyways) linux onto usb flashdrives so they can have a system containing no harddrives.  I jumped on board and gave this a shot myself.  I used a Stable netinstall cd to avoid the current expired key-signature problems.  I was able to install debian and start booting from the usb flashdrive but ran into a problem:

pivot_root: No such file or directory
/sbin/init: 432: cannot open dev/console: No such file
Kernel panic: Attempted to kill init!

Based on google searches this could be the stock kernel not having usb support compiled into it, incorrect settings in the /etc/fstab, or pivot_root.

My question is, is this a familiar problem to you guys?  If so, any plans on fixing it?  I'd really like to have a harddrive'less debian system without the need to rip my hair out in the process.  I don't imagine it helps that I'm still very new to linux and by no means that competent of a user yet.

Any help, advice, tips, knowledge, wisedom, or acknowledgment you could give me on this issue would be much appreciated!  And hopefully the new etch netinstall cd will have support for installing to a usb flash drive!  :)

Thanks.
-Derek