> > When you install for the first time, you need the etc.tar.gz set.  The 
> > install notes should mention this.
> > 
> 
> It does not.  The "Installing using a diskless setup" section only
> mentions unpacking base.tar.gz.

That's an omission. I will correct this and a few other impurities that
you've exposed shortly.

> It even goes so far as to say that
> the "sh MAKEDEV all" will generate errors on user/group names due
> to the lack of passwd/group files.

That particular remark in the notes pertain to the host system on which
you are preparing the diskless setup. Whether or not you unpack etc.tar
in your "/export/root/client" directory, running MAKEDEV uses the
password file on the host system to set special file ownership, and that
password file might not list the user and group names that MAKEDEV
wants to use.

-pk