hook_install() never called? how to install my schema?

Working on a module that requires some database tables, I was not seeing my first testing table after installing and enabling the module. So I tried inserting some data into the table, and I got a backtrace (thank you xdebug) telling me that my table did not exist...

I have a little debugging logger that lets me append messages to a file, so I added some messages to my module's hook_install(); after repeated disables and enabling of my module, I am not getting any messages from hook_install(), so that leads me to believe it is never called. (FWIW, when the module is disabled, I can see the option to call it's uninstall routine on the admin/build/modules/uninstall page.) (Also, the debugging logger does work, I use it all the time.)

This brings up the question, when exactly is hook_install() called? After all, a module can be enabled and disabled via the admin/build/modules page, and one must travel explicitly to the admin/build/modules/uninstall page in order to uninstall a module...

Do I need to remove the module directory from my sites/all/modules directory, render some pages, and then copy the module's directory back in order to force identification that the module is "new" and then and only then the hook_install() is called? (hmmm... just tried that... did not do the trick.)

For reference, here's an abbreviated version of my moduleName.install file... See any issues?

<?php
// $Id$
/**
 * the flixor module's database schema
 * @file
 */
 
 /**
 * Implementation of hook_install()
 * @see http://api.drupal.org/api/function/hook_install/6
 * this is called when a module is installed, providing a chance
 * to create any database tables specific our module
 */
function flixor_install()
{
  _dbgReport( '****** flixor_install() called!' );

  drupal_install_schema( 'flixor_actor' );
}

/**
* Implementation of hook_uninstall()
* @see http://api.drupal.org/api/function/hook_uninstall/6
* this is called when a module is uninstalled, providing us with
* a chance to delete any tables and persistant variables
*/
function flixor_uninstall() 
{
  _dbgReport( '****** flixor_uninstall() called!' );
  
  // delete our database schema:
  drupal_uninstall_schema( 'flixor_actor' );
}

/**
 * Implementation of hook_schema()
 */
function flixor_schema() {
  $schema['flixor_actor'] = array( 
                             'description' => t('Maintain information for Flixor Actors.'),
                             'fields' => array(
                                                'nid' => array(
                                                                'description' => t('node id associated with this actor'),
                                                                'type' => 'int', 
                                                                'unsigned' => TRUE, 
                                                                'not null' => TRUE, 
                                                                'default' => 0
                                                              ),
                                                'vid' => array( 
                                                                'description' => t('version id associated with the node of this actor'),
                                                                'type' => 'int', 
                                                                'unsigned' => TRUE, 
                                                                'not null' => TRUE, 
                                                                'default' => 0
                                                              ),
                                                'aid' => array( 
                                                                'description' => t('actor id string associated with this actor'),
                                                                'type' => 'varchar', 
                                                                'length' => 127, 
                                                                'not null' => TRUE, 
                                                                'default' => ''
                                                              ),
                                                'stat' => array(
                                                                 'description' => t('internal use, tracks progress of use'),
                                                                 'type' => 'int', 
                                                                 'unsigned' => TRUE, 
                                                                 'not null' => TRUE, 
                                                                 'default' => 0
                                                               ),
                                                'label' => array(
                                                                  'description' => t('user supplied label'),
                                                                  'type' => 'varchar', 
                                                                  'length' => 127, 
                                                                  'not null' => TRUE, 
                                                                  'default' => ''
                                                                ),
                                              ),
                                'indexes' => array(
                                                    'aid' => array('aid'),    // most often lookups will be by aid or stat
                                                    'stat' => array('stat'),
                                                  ),
                                'primary key' => array('vid'), // Version is primary key. Could do nid, vid.
                              );

  return $schema;
}

Note: my real question is under what conditions is hook_install() called?