Kernel panic at boot time on 64bit generic

This is occurring on release 2.6.17-10.33

Booting up with the new kernel for edgy results in what looks like a "test pattern" on the screen and the computer hangs.
When I boot up without the "splash" kernel option, I get the kernel panic listing as follows (transcribed):

[...] CallTrace: <IRQ> <...> {:atiixp:atiixp_ide_dma_host_off+48}
[...] <...> {__ide_dma_off_quietly+34} <...> {do_reset1+269}
[...] <...> {__ide_error+573} <...> {ide_dma_intr+0}
[...] <...> {ide_intr+403} <...> {handle_IRQ_event+44}
[...] <...> {__do_ARQ+188} <...> {do_IRQ+66}
[...] <...> {default_idle+0} <...> {ret_from_intr+0} <EOI>
[...] <...> {thread_return+0} <...> {default_idle+41}
[...] <...> {cpu_idle+158} <...> {start_kernel+523}
[...] <...> {_sinittext+659}
[...]
[...] Code: 83 3f 00 7e f9 e9 2e fe ff ff f3 90 83 3f 00 7e f9 e9 30 fe
[...] console shuts up ...
[...] <0> Kernel panic - not syncing: Aiee, killing interrupt handler!
[...]

I have yet to install a working amd64 kernel since breezy (2.6.12)! All 64bit Dapper kernels had similar problems (after including pci=nommconf to get around initial kernel panic). What is interesting though, is that the Dapper i386 kernel on the live cd worked fine (even without the pci=nommconf option)! Is there a subtle difference in the 64 bit build of the kernels since breezy?

Note that this is using Motherboard MSI RS480M2-IL with ATI's Radeon Xpress 200 chipset.