Ok,

by version 2.3, which is kernel 2.6.18-ck1-dyne, BTW

dmesg|most gives

Uniform CD-ROM driver Revision: 3.20
Loading Adaptec I20 RAID controllers...
Adaptec aacraid driver (1.1-5[2409]-mh2]
3ware 9000 Storage Controller device driver for Linux v2.26.02.007
ipr: IBM Power RAID SCSI Device Driver version: 2.1.3 (March 29, 2006)
libata version 2.00 loaded.
RocketRAID 3xxx SATA Controller driver v1.0 (060426)
usbmon: debugfs is not available
ohci_hcd: 2005 April 22 USB 1.1 'Open' Host Controller (OHCI) Driver (PCI)
USB Universal Host Controller Interface Driver v3.0

it goes on from there with a bunch of USB stuff

You have, of course, tried turning off any optional stuff in the BIOS. Do
you have RAID on that laptop?

Any help?