[tlug] Gentoo install freezes when creating FS

[Jean-Christian Imbeault <jc@example.com>]

Im trying to start an installation of Gentoo following the online 
instructions but Gentoo freezes up at the file system creation step.

Specifically when I do a mke2fs -j /dev/hde1 the creation proceeds until 
I get this message and then the whole system locks up:

"Writing superblock and file system accounting information: _"

I'm using a Western Digital serial ATA HD, the WD360 (Raptor) and a 
generic serial ATA adapter board 
(http://www.kuroutoshikou.com/products/serialata/serialata-pci.html)

When I first boot up the PC a message comes up from the serial ATA 
controller board saying that it detected my HD on interface 1 and 
nothing on interface 2. Then normal BIOS messages come up (though 
nothing saying that a HD has been detected).

Gentoo loads from CD and properly detects the serial ATA controller 
board and my hard drive. I can even use fdisk to write partitions to the 
HD. However trying to create a file system causes the system to lock up.

What can I do to solve this problem?

Thanks,

Jean-Christian Imbeault