Debian + ndiswrapper == Hair Loss!!

[overbored <overbored@overbored.net>]

Hi all,

I used the netinst ISO to install Debian Sarge/Testing (2.4 kernel) onto 
my Dell D600 Latitude laptop, which has an Intel Pro Wireless 2200BG. I 
need to get wireless working so I opted for ndiswrapper instead of 
ipw2200 because I've been told the Linux drivers are still in beta and 
have minimal functionality (whatever that means). Anyway, though I've 
been using Debian for a while, I've never built my own kernel before, 
and I may be doing something wrong (this is what I've picked up from 
Googling/IRC):

# BEGIN #######################################

# add the ndiswrapper repository
echo 'deb ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net ./' >> sources.list
apt-get update

# get some important stuff first
apt-get install build-essentials bin86 kernel-package module-init-tools 
libncurses-dev debhelper

# this is for its config file
apt-get install kernel-image-2.6.7-1-686

apt-get install kernel-source-2.6.8 ndiswrapper-source

cd /usr/src
tar xjf kernel*bz2
tar xzf ndis*gz

# get a normal config
cd kernel-source-2.6.8
cp -a /boot/config*2.6.8* .config

# <no idea what i'm doing>
make oldconfig
make-kpkg kernel_image modules_image
cd ..
mv /lib/modules/2.6.8 /lib/modules/2.6.8.old
# </no idea what i'm doing>

dpkg -i kernel-image*deb
# now i see a vmlinuz-2.6.8... in my /boot and I can select it from GRUB

# now for ndiswrapper
cd modules
dpkg -i ndis*deb

# END #########################################

The last command is where I get stuck. It says I need a dependency 
called ndiswrapper-utils-0.10-1:

# BEGIN #######################################

Selecting previously deselected package ndiswrapper-modules.
(Reading database ... 18724 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking ndiswrapper-modules (from 
ndiswrapper-modules_0.10-1-2.6.8_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of ndiswrapper-modules:
 ndiswrapper-modules depends on ndiswrapper-utils-0.10-1; however:
  Package ndiswrapper-utils-0.10-1 is not installed.
dpkg: error processing ndiswrapper-modules (--install):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 ndiswrapper-modules

# END #########################################

I couldn't find any ndiswrapper-utils packages in apt-cache. Now, surely 
I'm not the first person who has tried to use Debian + ndiswrapper on a 
laptop. But I don't find anything when I Google for 'ndiswrapper-modules 
depends on ndiswrapper-utils-0.10-1'. Other query attempts return 
unrelated info.

Furthermore, if I try to boot into my new 2.6.8 kernel, I get a kernel 
panic (starting with 'VFS:') about being unable to mount the root file 
system. I don't know if this is related at all.

Please help, don't force me down the Windows path! Thanks!