Thanks for the replies. Debian has this uncanny ability to make me feel like an idiot. :)
# install-mbr /dev/sdX* *didn't work for me (with the mbr package installed), however I saw there is a "Manage Flags" option in GParted that did. Just stumbled on that about 5 minutes ago. :) Computer now boots right into the Debian installer off the usb memory stick. I don't know if others have seen this but installing from usb memory stick is looooads faster than using CD or DVD (at least for my machines), hence my persistence to want to get this to work. Sure wish I had those 3 hours of lost sleep back from last night when I didn't know GParted had that function though! Mark
