LinuxQuestions.org - missing nodes in /dev with 2.6.5

Hi
im new to debian but not linux, im running running debian on a toshbia laptop. its a new install that i upgraded to sarge. before i was using gentoo and arch on the machine but decided to give debian a shot. now with the standard debian kernel image of both 2.4.x and 2.6.3, the system is fine, but when i try my own custom kernel config, which worked great with gentoo and arch, debian gets to loading cron, freezes for 6mins and then i recieve the following message

Code:

INIT: Id "2" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

INIT: Id "1" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

INIT: Id "3" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

INIT: Id "4" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

INIT: Id "5" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

INIT: Id "6" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

INIT: No more processes left in this runlevel

i also recieve messages in dmesg about not being able to find /dev/ttys0 *ie virtual terminals*. ive changed the run level to 1 and was able to get inside the machine but found that my /dev only has about 25nodes, without any tty* at all. ive recompiled the kernel god knows how many times now, even started the config from scatch but i still get the same response.

my kernel config can be found here

homepage.ntlworld.com/d3c3it/random/2.6.5

if anyone can shed any light on my issues it would be fanastic.

thanks very much