I followed MohammadAG's instructions and my transcend 1gb flash disk worked fine.

Just a couple of points:
(1) Ensure you have the devel repos enabled.
(2) I used the command 'root' before I did anything
(3) ic2-tools will now install because of point 1.

When I can spend some quality time with my N900 I will provide log files. I intend to try my usb hub and logitech wireless keyboard (not bluetooth compatible) to see if I can persuade them to work.

Thanks to MohammadAG & developers who managed to get things this far. There is still a lot of work to be done so be patient.

Remember this is PRE-ALPHA software and is highly experimental.