OK, this now gives the familiar behavior.

Is this what's expected from the install CD?

I may go back through the process, but I'm sure I took the default
to intall new boot code from the official 3.0.1 iso.

Thanks for the help, I feel better now!
--gene

> 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.