[SOLVED] hard disk install fails

[bascule]

i'm doing an i586 install from hard disk, the i586 repository mirrored on sata disk no 2 and the install on to sata disk no 1, both hanging off a sataII card (needed for the bigger 2Tb disk)

i boot off the i586 boot.iso with:
alt1 nodmraid
i get to the partitioning stage and i choose custom because i want to keep my home and var, i select custom desktop for package selection and individual package selection and at the next stage i get:
"basesystem package not installed"
in fact i get this if i select either kde or gnome as desktop,
any ideas on how to proceed?

bascule

[bascule]

i've now also tried a network install and had the same error:

for the hell of it i'm going to try the other boot kernel choice

bascule

[bascule]

for the record, i finally solved it by deleting the rpm database from my /var partition - which i wasn't formatting due to all the mail and stuff on it,

bascule