> the BIOS might see the devices in a different...order
It might, but didn't - unless GRUB counts CD-ROM as a hard drive?  I removed the
grml CD for reboot.  Nothing else changed.

> something we have addressed
I know.  If that's exactly what comment #2 proposed, ok.

I was thinking more along these lines.
'Why "root=" doesn't scale'  &  'Initrd vs initramfs'
http://www.timesys.com/timesource/march_06.htm