Sorrt if this is an obvious question, but you didnt mention if
	you'd done this - have you checked that MAKEDEV has been run in
	the /dev directory? A missing /dev/console would give exactly the
	symptoms you have described.

		David/abs	david@{mono.org,southern.com,mhm-internet.com}

System Manager: Southern Studios Ltd, PO Box 59, London N22 1AR.
Satisfied User: NetBSD, free Un*x {i386,sparc,mac68k,+more} 'www.netbsd.org'.
  System Admin: MHM Internet, 14 Barley Mow Passage, Chiswick, London W4 4PH.
         SysOP: Monochrome, Largest UK Internet BBS - 'telnet mono.org'.

On Sat, 14 Dec 1996, Rick Byers wrote:

> Hi,
> Our news server's hard drive recently crashed, so I replaced it with an
> identical model (ST31200N), using the exact same disklabel.  I reinstalled
> NetBSD 1.2 on the new drive using the INSTALLADP kernel (although I did
> compile a couple of my own with the same results).  It boots up fine to
> the point where it says "changing root device to sd0a", and then stops.  
> 
> It boots up fine from floppy, and I can access the drives perfectly,
> without any errors.  I've tried chaning SCSI cards (tried both a Adaptec
> 2940 and a 1542), with identical results.  
> 
> I was told that if the Disklabel's geometry doesn't agree with the BIOS,
> it might do that.  The disklabel agrees with what autoconf sees.  I also
> tried 16 heads, 64 sectors, with the same result.  Keep in mind that an
> identical model worked (until it crashed) with the same disklabel and scsi
> controller.
> 
> I'm beginning to suspect the drive.  Unfortunantly, I don't have another
> SCSI drive to check it with.  I did try an IDE drive however, and the CMOS
> wouldn't see the drive, but another computer saw/used the IDE drive no
> problem - I expect this is an unrelated problem though...
> 
> I've removed any unnecsary cards from the system (network etc..), and
> continuously get the problem.  Is there anything I can do to try and find
> the problem?  Is it likely to be a problem with the drive itself?  I
> understand that at the "changing root device" point, it switches from BIOS
> disk access to direct disk access.
> 
> Please let me know if you have any ideas, the only thing I have left to
> try is another SCSI drive - and I'd rather not buy a new one unless I'm
> sure thats the problem...
> 
> Thanks,
> 	Rick
> 
> =========================================================================
> Rick Byers                                      Internet Access Worldwide
> rickb@iaw.on.ca                                System Admin, Tech Support
> Welland, Ontario, Canada                                    (905)714-1400
> http://www.iaw.on.ca/rickb/                         http://www..iaw.on.ca/
> 
>