The problem appears to be the second disk that I had connected to
transfer files from. It was an old RH9 install which also names the
partitions /boot. This label conflict seems to be at the root of the
problem.
Configuration is disk 1 with a new install of FC1 and disk 2 with an old
install of rh9. Both disk end up with disk partitions labeled /boot. So
when I tried to make a mount on disk 1 of a new partition, to hold the
files, and then a mount of the disk 2 / partition, things got flakey.
IMHO there needs to be a resolution to this or at least a work around
put in the docs. I loaded up knoppix and transferred the files then
deleted the original disk 2 partitions, reformatted and installed new
disk 2 partitions and all is OK.
I got in this fix by trying to do a simple install of a new bigger
faster main disk and preserve the old files on the exiting disk. A
pretty common upgrade approach if you ask me.
tb