Like you, I am running PCLinusOS, but have liked what I saw in Sayabon and
tried to install it as an alternate system, several times. I have found
much the same problems you are addressing. This is not anything new with
them and I do wish they would make things a lot more straight forward. It
looks to be a good disto, if you can figure out how to run it, and keep it
running.
Deb