Ubuntu PATA driver issue?

[vodhner at cox.net]

A friend of mine (a very competent Windows-based engineer who tries Linux frequently but hasn't done real well yet) just tried to bring up Ubuntu and ran into this problem:

> I decided to try ubuntu on my Linux system get an impression
> of how it's presented to a generally knowledgeable but Linux
> distro challenged user.

> I was partway convinced when you made that choice and then
> Michael Dell clinched it for me.

> I downloaded the installation CD and tried running it "live" and
> when that didn't work, I tried plunging ahead and told it to install.
> In both cases I got the following message at the start of the
> operation:

> BusyBox v1.1.3 (Debian 1:1.1.3-3ubuntu3) Built-in shell (ash)

> Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.

> /bin/sh: can't access tty; job control turned off

> (initramfs)

> When I researched this, I found that there are a LOT of reports of
> this same problem.  I've only gone through one support organization
> so far but there responses seemed to be overwhelmingly arrogant.
> Can you suggest a support URL that might be interested in resolving
> a problem. 

> It appears that ubuntu 7.04 was released with bad pata (IDE) drivers
> in the package.

Any help will be highly appreciated.

Vic