I have got access to a GEODE based IBM Networkstation. it has a CF with
Windows-CE on it.

When I replace a CF formatted as a NetBSD FS, with an MBR/boot pair, it
drops out during boot to a menu which offers remote Linux booting, or
CF reformat.

It looks like IBM wired in their own 'bios' on this baby to demand
specific things at boot time.

I expect I can move on to playing with a Linux boot (since its offering
one) but I wondered if any NetBSD people knew how to dtrt to make this
baby play.

the PPC editions of this thing are discussed online. But the Geode ones
don't seem to get much attention. I have the IBM .pdf (or should I say
lenovo :-) and I've scoured the web for references. Not much there.

(I'd say the device is very close to a soekris unit, in terms of its
capabilities: one 72-pin memory slot, one PCI riser slot (non standard
format but the pinouts are there0 and one CF slot. Two USB, one
ethernet, and a soundcard. 32Mb of memory on the motherboard, runs
Windows CE with a browser and RDP, around 2002 vintage)

Its technically called an 8383 Wxx

-G