Hello,

> > So - stupid question - are you absolutely sure the cache is 1MB and runs at half the CPU speed? Does the same kernel just without
> > the cache option work? Not all G3 cards run the cache at 1/2 CPU clock.
> 
> what i found was that the cache is 1MB and runs at 200Mhz, since it's a 400Mhz
> CPU, that's half.  ;)
> 
> same kernel without the cache option works jsut fine.

This leaves three possibilities or any combination thereof:
1. the cache isn't 1MB
2. it doesn't like running at 200MHz
3. it needs some other voodoo to activate (seems most probable)

I think we can rule out 2. - I couldn't find a Sonnet G3 card under 600MHz that doesn't run the cache at half the CPU speed. There are a few cards with only 512kB but I guess the Sonnet software wouldn't lie to you. then there's this:
http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-macppc/2002/09/22/0006.html
Apparently some cards work, others don't :/

According to this http://mail-index.NetBSD.org/port-macppc/2001/01/05/0007.html it may help to poke around with the options a bit.

good luck
Michael