[sf-lug] ubuntu server 8.04 doesn't seem to see IDE drives

[jim]

i've got a supermicro with a motherboard that's got 
two 250GB IDE drives. i'm trying to install ubuntu 
server 8.04 from the inboard CD-ROM/DVD RW drive. 
the installation program starts off okay until it 
complains about not finding a common CD-ROM drive. 

i drop to a shell, ls /dev and hey! no /hd{a,b...}. 

is there a trick or fix? 
jim