you're trying to boot a recent netbsd kernel with ultrixboot? 
ultrixboot only knows about coff, it doesnt know what to do with an ELF 
kernel.. or do we still build some parts of netbsd/pmax as coff special so
that these methods still work? 

in my experience the easiest way to get netbsd onto a pmax is to put a
couple extra scsi disks in, and stick miniroot on one, boot that, and 
on the other make your clean netbsd install.. 

> 
>   ok I am stupid but I can't figure out not only what I did wrong, but
> also where to get an advice:
> 
> I am installing 1.5.2 on DECsystem 5900 KN240 with Ultrix 4.4 Rev69 (no
> patches).
> 
> >>boot 1/rz1/vmunix -a
> 
> ... Ultrix was running ok, let me download necessary files from
> ftp.netbsd.org .
> 
> # mount
> /dev/rz9a on / type ufs
> /dev/rz9g on /usr type ufs
> 
>  ... note the difference here: /dev/rz9a in mount, but 1/rz1 in monitor(?)
> 

1/rz1 means ID1 on bus 1. bus 0 has id's 0-7, and thus rz0-rz7. 
bus 0 has rz8,rz9, etc. 



> So I downloaded unzip.ultrix and kernel/install.gz .
> 
> Did chmod u+x gunzip.ultrix
> ./gunzip.ultrix install.gz
> cp install /
> halt
> 
> KN03-AA V5.2 b
> >>boot 1/rz1/install
> 
> Ultrixboot - V4.4
> 
> Loading 1/rz1/install ...
> bad magic number
> Enter image name: 
> 
> 
> 
> What didn't I understand in INSTALL file ?
> 

i havent looked at the instructions recently, but is the install.gz a
kernel or a miniroot image or fs image?  if you can find a spare scsi disk
or two, the miniroot method is way easier. 
> 
> Thank you in advance!
> 
> Ivan Dolezal

good luck with it! theyre cool machines! (though i run ultrix on mine.. the
X server from DEC not only supports all the hardware but also runs 
faster) 
One advice if you run this machine 24 hours: every few months open it up and
clean out the dust. I lost a 5000/200 to dust-choking, there _entire box_ 
was almost a solid pile of dust, and the machine overheated and panicked
right in front of me while i was using it. it never ever lit up the LED's 
when i tried powering it up again. :( My 5k240 i have opened it up twice 
(while running! the uptime is now 644 days!) and vacuumed out all the 
dust, and it keeps on going happily.

isildur