Two things:

Rebuilding a kernel for a DS5000/120, I tried using

config netbsd root on rz1a swap on rz1b dumps on rz1b

Make failed complaining about an unresolved reference setconf() from 
autoconf.o. In fact, setconf() can only be found in swapgeneric.c, and

config netbsd root on rz1a swap generic

cured this problem.

The reason why I tried this out was that I'd like to get rid of the 
embarrassing question about the root device at kernel load time. However, 
this wasn't successful, and even though I specify 'root on rz1a', it asks 
me where to find root. Isn't there a way to get rid of this message? 
Shouldn't the kernel be intelligent enough to realize whether it was 
loaded from disk, and if so, take that disk as root device?

The changes supposedly preventing Xcfbpmax from sucking CPU were 
successful - thanks much.

Helge