USB key intermittently recognized

[Gerry Tool]

I have a SanDisk Cruzer Mini 256MB USB key.  Sometimes on boot, it is 
recognized as /dev/sda as evidenced by an entry in Hard Drives in 
Hardware Browser.  Other times, it is not recognized at all.  When it is 
recognized, I can mount it and use it just fine. It is listed in my 
/etc/fstab as

/dev/sda1       /mnt/usbkey vfat defaults,noauto,user 0 0

Unplugging/plugging it in does not cause it to be recognized.

hotplug-2003_08_05-1 is installed.

usbview shows an entry for it, even though Hardware Browser does not.

How can I make sure it is reliably recognized and mounted when it is 
plugged in?

Thanks.

Gerry Tool