Sony Vaio TR2A install problems

[Lamont Lucas]

After having happily used my sony vaio 505 for the last 5 or so
years, I decided it was time to join this century and bought the
reasonably modern sony vaio TR2A.  However, I cannot get freebsd
4.9 (using the mini install disc) to install.  I was hoping someone
would have some suggestions or at least an idea of what I could
look for to get more information.

The kernel config portion of the install reports no conflicts, but
during the rest of the install kernel boot, it ends with:

ata1-slave: ATAPI identify retries exceeded
ad0: READ command timeout tag=0 serv=0 - resetting
ata0: resetting devices .. 

And then just hangs forevermore with the drive icon lit up.

Windows XP, which came with the machine, says the ATA controller
is an Intel 82801DBM UltraATA Storage Controler 24CA, with
the primary using irq 14.  

It's a pentium M processor built into this thing, built in wireless
(which, because I am a superstitious man, I attempted to boot with
both disabled and enabled) and would be the best laptop I've ever
owned if only I could get FreeBSD on it.  I'm trying to install vmware now
which seems happier (at least the install completes) but I'd rather
have a true dual boot system that I could use via vmware or standalone
rather than letting freebsd ride shotgun.

I've found some bugs submitted against freebsd-current (5.1ish) that
seem like small and reasonable patches into sys/dev/ata/ata-dma.c
to include detection for this specific controller.  My best guess
so far as to what I should do will be to compile these fixes
in (if I can) to my -stable.  Then build install media off of the
new and modified source tree.

Any other suggestions or ideas?

-- 
 - Lamont
"I am not an atomic playboy."