Very Computer

I have installed Linux 6.1 but am getting several unusual errors.
I believe that these errors stem from the scsi device that is
on my machine, but I do not know how to correct the problem.
These are the errors that I have seen:

On installation:
    * Fdisk Error: error reading the partition table for block device
sda.
       Input/Output Error. (My only choice was to skip or retry, so i
skipped...)
On boot:
    * scsi0: warning - detected auto-termination
    * scsi0: verify driver detect settings are correct
    * scsi disk: unable to read partition table
    * swap partition FAILED
    * searches for extra interface eth1.. takes a long time, eventually
times out
On login:
    * bash: id: command not found
    * bash: mesg: command not found
    * bash: which: command not found

Note: I installed the following packages: X win, gnome, mail/www,
networked workstations, emacs, dns

I would appreciate any suggestions on how I can remedy this situation.
Thank you in advance,
Jason

I also got a lot of new scsi errors when I upgraded to 6.1.  They all
disappeared when I had compiled a custom 2.2.13 kernel.

rh

I had the Mandrake 6.1 that was not fully 2.2.13 apparently.  When
I installed several patches such that I could use other devices,
the SCSI stuff was altered in a way that rendered it complete useless.

The documentation sayeth -
BACK UP YOUR /LIB/MODULES
of course I thought naw, and now I am scrambling to get a stable
kernel.

B.