Installation doubts

[x18]

lsblk --fs:
Swap solved meanwhile, but not solved this one that shows at boot:

Code:

blk_update_request: I/O error, dev fd0

"video=800x600": no way, it loops, have to reboot.

lspci -v

Code:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (AGP disabled) (rev 03)
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64
    Memory at f8000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=64M]

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Silicon Motion, Inc. SM910 (rev b5) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
    Subsystem: Silicon Motion, Inc. SM910
    Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 9
    Memory at fd000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
    Expansion ROM at 000c0000 [virtual] [disabled] [size=128K]

00:07.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02)
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0

00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01) (prog-if 80 [ISA Compatibility mode-only controller, supports bus mastering])
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64
    I/O ports at 01f0 [size=8]
    I/O ports at 03f4
    I/O ports at 0170 [size=8]
    I/O ports at 0374
    I/O ports at fcf0 [size=16]
    Kernel driver in use: ata_piix

00:07.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev 01) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 11
    I/O ports at fcc0 [size=32]
    Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
    Kernel modules: uhci_hcd

00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 02)
    Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 9
    Kernel modules: i2c_piix4

00:0a.0 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev 02)
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 168, IRQ 9
    Memory at 0c000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
    Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=04, sec-latency=176
    Memory window 0: 10000000-13ffffff (prefetchable)
    Memory window 1: 14000000-17ffffff
    I/O window 0: 00001000-000010ff
    I/O window 1: 00001400-000014ff
    16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001
    Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 1
    Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
    Kernel modules: yenta_socket

00:0a.1 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev 02)
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 168, IRQ 9
    Memory at 18000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
    Bus: primary=00, secondary=05, subordinate=08, sec-latency=176
    Memory window 0: 1c000000-1fffffff (prefetchable)
    Memory window 1: 20000000-23ffffff
    I/O window 0: 00001800-000018ff
    I/O window 1: 00001c00-00001cff
    16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001
    Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 1
    Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
    Kernel modules: yenta_socket

Windows info, Silicon Motion Lynx driver:

Code:

Chip type: Lynx
DAC type: integrated RAMDAC
Memory size: 4 MB

Monitor type: flat digital screen (1024x768)
Monitor frequency: 75 Hz (current setting) or 60 Hz
Colors: currently set on 16 bit, but can do 24 bit at the same resolution

I suspect you can create a /boot partition in text mode if you create it manually with fdisk and mount it.

I did it, but then the installation failed because of no space left on device.
It seems to me the installer only consider one partition (else why didn't it used the other ones?).
Or, if a bigger partition size in needed, it should be stated or warned.

I know that some people want a separate /boot partition; I never saw the point.

We are talking about VERY old hardware, belonging to an era when the BIOS was limited.

How to use a 20 Gb hd if the BIOS recognizes up to 10 Gb only (this is the case of my laptop)?
Splitting it into partitions.

How to put and boot two OSs on the same disk if they occupy more room than the detected one?
Keeping the bootable part of the OSs within the 1024th cylinder (roughly about 1/3 of the disk capacity).
That's because Windows can't boot if put at the end of the disk and at that time it used only one partition.
Nowadays the modern versions of Windows have a boot partition as well (they have "linuxed" it).

When everything dies, are you user demo or user root? Maybe being actual root produces a different result? What happens if you su - to root and run your configure but with an extra depth argument?

I often run as root. No, same errors.

there's still the bit about why udev (I think?) didn't create card0...and I don't know enough Debian yet to answer that question

This is the very crucial point and if you googled it you realize that it's not a Debian problem, it's a universal problem.
So far I've been unable to find a solution and hope that you gurus can.
Please take your time. Thank you.