> for the hell of it, maybe try 1.5.1 or 1.4.2.. who knows, the generic install
> kernel might have a problem with it.

Tried 1.4.2 with the same symptoms.

> when it drops to the chevron after configuring the scsi adaptor,  does it
> probe the scsi bus yet? The disk shouldnt make a difference.

Don't think so. It just recognizes the SCSI controller, the last line
displayed is:

asc0 at ioasic0, offset 0x300000: NCR53C94, 25MHz, SCSI ID 7

As far as I can see from this post:
http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-pmax/1999/12/07/0001.html
the next line was supposed to be

scsibus0 at asc0: 8 targets, 8 luns per target

> to see all settings in the prom, give the command printenv.
> the proms on the decstations were pretty simple, though..
> also, to force the serial console , remove the graphics card, just to make
> things simpler while troubleshooting...

Did that as well. The only difference is, that while the graphics card is
present, the last line displayed is about the graphics card, if I remove it,
the last line is the asc0.