HP 6910p and installing Kali Linux 1.0.4 amd64

[JTD121]

Hey all, newb here, to Kali, but have used BT4/5 previously!

I have made a thread on Ars Technica's forum, which didn't really help. I post it here for further information, so I don't necessarily have to type it all up again.

I have myself an HP 6910p, with Radeon Mobility X2300, 64MB w/Hypermemory (128MB total). The problem seems to be, one, the installer doesn't always detect all my hardware (Intel WiFi is hit/miss); doesn't seem to like my WPA2 passphrase (will connect to a neighbors' just fine, though); most importantly, will not boot after install.

Possibly important facts: (1)There is a Kingston 60GB SSD installed. Not sure if there's an issue there, but it does seem to see it and install to it. (2) I am a Linux internals newbie, so articles that explain how to install the Radeon blob drivers, assume I am already in a working Linux system. As it is, I have left the system 'booting' for about half an hour a couple times.

I have tried vanilla Debian 7.1.0, and Ubuntu (recent release), and those both detected everything, installed, and booted just fine, first time. I have also burned the Kali ISO to DVD+RW, in case that might have been the case. Swapped around USB sticks, made absolutely sure the checksum included in the torrent was the same, and valid.

Used Rufus and UNetBootin to put the ISO to USB sticks.

Any suggestions?