port-vax/56340: KA410 support broken since 4.x-ish

[JMoyer%NODOMAIN.NET@localhost]

>Number:         56340
>Category:       port-vax
>Synopsis:       KA410 support broken since 4.x-ish
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       serious
>Priority:       medium
>Responsible:    port-vax-maintainer
>State:          open
>Class:          sw-bug
>Submitter-Id:   net
>Arrival-Date:   Sun Aug 01 04:40:01 +0000 2021
>Originator:     Josh Moyer
>Release:        9.0
>Organization:
NODOMAIN.NET.
>Environment:
GENERIC/vax
>Description:
KA410 (MicroVAX 2000/VAXStation 2000) has been unable to boot the GENERIC kernel since a little after 4.0.1 through 9.0 (unless fixed in 9.1 or 9.2 or later), based on my testing that goes back 12 months or so.  Various symptoms occur on both digital and simh platforms, including some issues with the recent boot loaders crashing, too.

For example (from simh 4.0-0 Current, commit id#6728b3f4) :
KA410-A V2.3

F_..E...D...C?..B...A...9...8...7...6...5...4_..3_..2_..1...


??  C  0080  0000.0004
◄◄
>>> boot esa0
◄

-ESA0

>> NetBSD/vax boot [1.11 Thu Jul 12 15:15:11 CEST 2007] <<
>> Press any key to abort autoboot 5
Press '?' for help
> boot -s
Trying BOOTP
net_open: client addr: 10.9.10.77
net_open: subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
net_open: net gateway: 10.9.10.7
net_open: server addr: 10.9.10.78
net_open: server path: /Data/Code/vax/NetBSD-9.1/VAXflowerzero
Using IP address: 10.9.10.77
myip:  (10.9.10.77)
root addr=10.9.10.78 path=/Data/Code/vax/NetBSD-9.1/VAXflowerzero
2132096+95412 [163728+155270]=0x26de50
&#9668;
?06 HLT INST
    PC = 8000131A
>>>

I realize that a simh and hardware have some differences.  In addition, when I asked on the port-vax mailing list, there was insinuation that my KA410 might be having hardware problems.  But, as it runs earlier versions (at least 3 and 4) fine, that seems less likely to me.

Note that the install document specifically calls out support for KA410.
>How-To-Repeat:
Attempt to (network) boot a KA410 with a recent kernel.
>Fix:
No known fix.