I wrote:

...

Compaq has an embedded scsi hard disk controller, which the install

can't

...

detect.

Keith Watson wrote:

What you have to do is add some parameters to the boot command.

Thanks Keith. In fact it was more of a "oh my god, what a twat" moment again, as I see the boot option for scsi devices is there in front of me on the debian disk -

boot compact

At least I've found out what one is now, with trawling about google and howto's for a morning. Ta, Jen