Good call on the host resolve; I'll check that when I'm at the machine tomorrow. That's probably it, the more I think about it.
"when calling the install"... I am the install. :-) See [link|http://kmself.home.netcom.com/Linux/FAQs/DebianChrootInstall.html|chroot Debian Install From A Booted System mini-HOWTO] for details.