So, I ran into the esp problems. I managed to get it installed though by manually loading the esp module. ok.
But I am unable to continue the process to create a fixed initfs.
I booted from the install cd in rescue mode. I modprobed the esp module. Driver reports my partitions. Only need to mount them. But i cant?!
mount /dev/sda1 /boot/ complains about the syntax and in the logs you see its trying to use cramfs. ok.. so
mount -t ext3 /dev/sda1 /boot causes a no such device! nothing in the logs. the device is there. i can dd data from the scsi partition. the ext3 fs is included in the resuce cd right ?
Anyway. Enough of this. reinstalling debian.