Can't mount /sdcard while doing a NANDroid backup!
Recovery images are hard coded to use the first partition of an SD card are the main FAT partition. 

As such, you need to ensure that the first partition on the card is the FAT partition, or recovery will try to mount the ext partition as the fat partition.

You can use any partition tool to modify the card.

You also said that fastboot wouldn't work - this is most likely due to lack of fast boot drivers.