I get the same message on my R30.
After 5 "disabling IRQ #15" messages (and seamingly a minute-long idle time), it says
"Welcome to Knoppix..."
"Scanning for USB/Firewire devices... Done"
"Looking for CD in: /dev/hdc" and then the boot-process hangs

Previously I tried installing the new Ubuntu Breezy, which also seems to have a boot/CD-ROM device problem. Ubuntu hangs the installation when it tries to install the CD drivers at 80something percent. Several R30 users reported similar probs.

Is there a 2.6 Kernel problem with the R30's DVD/CD-ROM drive?

Debian 3.1 only wanted to install the 2.4 Kernel, didn't recognise the Trackpoint-mouse etc etc.

People who updated their Ubuntu to Breezy didn't seem to have similar probs with their R30...

mmmhhh