(aside: I found my problem with booting with root == sd1...
the /dev entries weren't there.  onto the next problem...)

the system configs okay, but as soon as it starts to do anything
it says

keyboard not responding
kd: kbd_iopen, error = 5

my keyboard is a type 5 (with a homemade adaptor to connect
it to the db-15 on the back of the cabinet.)  It works fine
under sunos 4.1.1.  

I suspect the keyboard works in some kind of type 4 compatibility 
mode until it is reset, after which it wants to act like a type 5 
keyboard.   (oddly enough, the keyboard on my thinkpad 750 laptop
does the same thing -- it boots up in AT compatibility mode, but
if you reset it, it starts talking in ps/2 mode.)

anyway, before I start experimenting with kbd.c, does anyone know
how to fix this?  would the sparc kbd.c do any better?

thanks,

Keith