Hi I just had a similar problem with a Libretto. I solved it by creating a small DOS partition and using packet drivers and packet driver type ftp software to ftp the basic files needed for an install (see the Debian install documents on www.debian.org). Basically you need the kernel and a couple of driver disks and the base system archive.
Once I ran the basic install off the DOS partition I switched the rest of the install to FTP and installed from rest of the packages from a Debian mirror site but you could equally well FTP from the CDs mounted on a local machine. Also with a PCMCIA CDROM you could probably mount that and install from it once the base system was installed from the DOS partition. Good luck Pat
