Dapper, Feisty, and Gutsy -- Disk errors when trying to install from CD, but works via apt-get dist-upgrade

Hello,

  I initially installed breezy on my AMD64 machine, but installed it with the 32bit version. Now that the 64bit apps have matured to a more agreeable state, I want to migrate my installation to a 64bit one. The problem I now have is with the CD for Dapper, Feisty, and Gutsy, is that the refuse to activate my SATAII 1.5gb/s disks.

  My system setup is as follows.
GA-M55SLI-S4 (rev 1.0)
  2 x Seagate ST3250823AS (250GB sata II 1.5gb/s) (firmware rev 3.03, 3.06)
2 x 1420SA (JBOD configuration)
  6 x Seagate ST3500630AS (500Gb sata II 1.5gb/s) (firmware rev 3.AAE)

Breezy saw my 6 ST3500630AS's and so did Dapper, and Feisty when I went through the apt-get dist-upgrade process. it works fine right now in fact.

No I've broken off my mirror that consisted of the 2 ST3250823AS's. I've attempted to install Dapper, Feisty, and Gutsy directly from the CD (32 bit, and 64bit), but each installation has a very very hard time activating the 6 ST3500630AS's, if it happens at all. Now it's possible that they are trying to utilize the hostraid function on the cards, but I don't know how to disable that, as I'm not using it as anything other than a JBOD configuration. Maybe there are some residuals left from the breezy days that haven't been completed dist-upgraded away (which is a good thing in my case)?

What info will help for diagnosis of this problem?

TIA,

Slackjaw-