HDD support requires a new kernel, I have tried to compile it as a module and it didn't work. I think I'm about 75% of the way to getting a working kernel.

I haven't had great success getting cross-compiling working, I just set up a debian dist in a chrooted environment on the central. Here's the instructions I wrote while getting it working.

http://empegbbs.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/223597/an/0/page/1#Post223597

The ARM processor compiles surprisingly fast.