On all of my machines I get the countdown timer on the terminals and
what you describe on the VGA displays when I have one plugged in. It
sound's like the console isn't set for the BIOS.

Try this on your install:

installboot -v -o console=pc /dev/rwd0a /usr/mdec/bootxx_ffsv1

assuming /dev/rwd0a is your boot partition.

On Fri, 2006-09-08 at 07:28 -0500, yancm@sdf.lonestar.org wrote:
> I do not get a countdown timer at all.
> 
> I just used the recent 3.0.1 release CD and did a more or less
> default install.
> 
> To be clear, this system worked fine in the base configuration.
> 
> I actually took it all the way up to -current and then back
> to -netbsd4 with no difficulty.
> 
> Only when I tried to optimize the kernel did I get a problem.
> 
> There is no counter that's the old bootloader.
> 
> Now all I get is:
>   NetBSD MBR boot
> 
>   NetBSD/i386 ffsv1 Primary Bootstrap
>   0
> 
> That's it. This is what the 3.0.1 installer put in place by default.
> This is what I am asking about.
> 
> > On Fri, 2006-09-08 at 06:14 -0500, yancm@sdf.lonestar.org wrote:
> >> Hi All,
> >>
> >> I've been using NetBSD since at least the 1.5xx series and still use
> >> the old boot loader which was common to my Mac68k and my i386
> >> household router/firewall/gateway boxen.
> >>
> >> Recently I started using vmware virtual machines to play with
> >> fresh releases and cvs in a way that did not threaten the "production"
> >> server...
> >>
> >> Anyway, this is note is *not* urgent because it's just
> >> on a test virtual machine, but someday I may update the boot loader
> >> on my production box. Also, soon many more of the current user base will
> >> be moving to the new MBR boot loader and may have these issues.
> >>
> >> Apologies if it's already documented somewhere...I did google the site
> >> and took a quick look at the NetBSD guide, which appears to still
> >> be written for the old boot loader. I looked for "mbr boot" and found
> >> nothing.
> >>
> >> My question...now that I've rambled on...
> >> #1 If you have an unsuccessful kernel build and want to get back to
> >>    the previous kernel in /netbsd.old ...
> >>
> >>    HOW do I do it with the new MBR boot?
> >>
> >> #2 Is there some magic key sequence?
> >>
> >> #3 Also, is there some way to get the new booter to display the kernel
> >>    startup messages like the old booter did?
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> gene
> >>
> >
> > Hi
> >
> > To get the bootloader to boot another kernel press the spacebar when the
> > countdown sequence starts and type
> > 	boot hd0a:netbsd.old
> > at the prompt, hd0a being the hard drive number and partition where the
> > kernel image is. Type help or ? at the prompt for commands too.
> >
> > If you only get "NetBSD/arch ustarfs Primary Bootstrap" then you're
> > probably using the wrong floppy image. I use the boot-com1.fs and
> > boot-com2.fs disks so I get the install on my Wyse terminal which runs
> > off a serial port. There's information in the bootloader help to deal
> > with changing the default console too.
> >
> > Have a look at installboot(8), it has details on installing a new
> > bootloader with examples including dealing with the default console.
> >
> > Good Luck.
> >
> >
>