This is probably because of the fundametal problem with the current boot system in Debian, and the fact that the Linux kernel have become event based and it is not possible to know in advance when a device will be available during boot. It is basicly a race condition during boot because the kernel return from kernel module loadin before the bus handled by a kernel module is scanned. :)
To solve it, I believe we need to move to a event based boot system. See <URL: http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2009/09/msg00003.html > for more information. I am sure you find similar bug reports against the initscripts package, even if it can't be solved by there without a structural change in the way we handle boots, fsck and mounts. :) Ubuntu uses upstart to get an event based boot system, and this is the reason your external USB disk is mounted correctly there. :) Happy hacking, -- Petter Reinholdtsen -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-devel-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20100531222618.gi25...@login2.uio.no