> > cd0: 32-bit data port
> > cd0: drive supports PIO mode 4, DMA mode 2, Ultra-DMA mode 2 (Ultra/33)
> > cd0(piixide0:1:0): using PIO mode 4, Ultra-DMA mode 2 (Ultra/33) (using DMA
> data transfers)
>
> Also, the CD is not detected by the (default) installation kernel when I try
> to boot from a recently created (14 Nov) installation CD (it boots off the CD
> and runs the installation script but can't find CD for distribution sets)

i have same effect since 2 weeks!!!

my CD-RW is detected fine, CD-ROM doesn't. even atapibus isn't attached!

piixide0        at pci0 dev 7 function 1
atabus0         at piixide0 channel 0
atabus1         at piixide0 channel 1
atapibus0       at atabus0
atapibus1       at atabus1
cd0             at atapibus0 drive 0 #CDROM-not detected
cd1             at atapibus1 drive 0 #CD-RW detected

using non-hardwired kernel config or generic kernel doesn't help