So when I start up my Jensen (with serial console, I've no video card
or keyboard) I get this:

New Configuration Required
ERROR: Programming voltage bad, programming aborted : Status = a8
This 1MB Flash contains BASE LEVEL 0.7 Jensen console code.


Jensen Alpha PC - Rom Version 150
Digital Equipment Corporation
System conducting power up tests
Press SPACEBAR to abort Memory Test
------------------------------------------------------------
Testing MEM .... passed 64MB
Testing NVR .... passed 
Testing SCC .... passed 
Testing IT .... passed 
Testing KBD .... passed 
Testing LPT .... passed 
Testing NI .... passed 08-00-2B-BA-95-31
------------------------------------------------------------
System power up OK.

Jensen Monitor.
Press H for help, Q to quit.
** I-Stream TB Miss occurred.
PC = 0x0000000000000000, VA = 0xffffffff8076fd58

 Error: Firmware could not open StandardIn
 Trying to open multi()Key()keyboard()console() instead...
 Firmware could not open failsafe StandardIn!
 Contact Digital Field Service immediately!

Any thoughts on what's gone wrong here? Is this hardware failure, a
console that can't deal with the serial port, or what? Am I going to
have to load new firmware? Am I going to be able to do that without a
floppy drive?

cjs
-- 
Curt Sampson  <cjs@cynic.net>   917 532 4208   http://www.netbsd.org
  Human speech is like a cracked tin kettle, on which we hammer out tunes
  to make bears dance when we long to move the stars.  --Gustave Flaubert