---What processor are you using...? 2.6.8-k7 kernel already brings usb module attached, I think....(correct me if I'm wrong). So if you run debian under AMD Athlon that kernel should work fine with you and the whole usb stuff.......

Greetings...

It apparentely didn't. I used the 'expert26' option when installing, as I have a troublesome video card, and in expert mode, it might not load all the default modules. I don't know.
Everything works identically if I use the k7 or i386 kernel. I've tried the other on a friend's machine and it works just the same. Using the 386 kernel on a k7 works, but is supposedly slightly slower; I can't tell the difference.

I got the same problem, but it's very strange. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. So, when I reboot the same kernel it might work or not, depending apparently on the mood of my computer. Thought that was only a windows thing. I don't have hotplug installed. I thought that's only for PCI, since that's a module under pci. But please inform me if I'm wrong. I will need to recompile my kernel then.