If you manually untar the files, I'm not sure what automatic steps would
be skipped.  Two things that I'd check would be that the new root
fileystem's dev has the device nodes (see the MAKEDEV script in that
directory) and that the new filesystem's etc/rc.conf has a line that
reads:

  rc_configured=YES

(rc_configured controls whether the system goes multiuser after
booting.  An unconfigured system won't go multiuser.)


P.S.: I might leave out the DUMMY_NOPS option in your kernel config.  The
comment implies thast you need it unset on really old machines.  
Unfortunately, the comment doesn't explain its context, much less
rigorously define the class of machines it's talking about or explain the
rationale.  But, my impression is that your computer probably qualifies as
really old, if anything does.  (^&


  "I probably don't know what I'm talking about." --rauch@eecs.ukans.edu