Well I sorted out the problem with the CDROM and was then able to install the packages normally.
This was the problem. The CDROM was an old NEC Multispin 2V/2Vi the EATA version of one of NEC's early 2x CDROM drives. This is not listed as supported by any of the Linux support material and being EATA it does not identify itself as a ATAPI drive on bootup or during installation. Consequently, you don't seem to be able to install from this drive. Looking through the printouts in /var/logs/messages showed that the drive had been identified as a CDR-260 and that the device had been configured as an IDE floppy. This was wrong, for a start this drive is a CDR-250 (NEC model number) and of course it was a CDROM not a floppy. It appears that the kernal has support for these drives but that they identify themselves incorrectly at bootup and so that support is not enabled. I did a search of the mailing list archives and found that entering the command "hdc=cdrom" at the boot: prompt forced the kernal to use the drive as a CDROM. I tried it and it worked!!! Once I had the CDROM mounted under Linux and the symbolic linking worked all my problems with dselect vanished. I now have everything I need installed and (I hope) configured properly. Should some note about these type of drives be included in a FAQ or something??? I've been flapping around for several days because everything I read said that these drives were not supported. Thanks to everyone who answered. Fletch
