I believe lack of a fully installed system leads to ignorance at this end.

> # mount -u /dev/ra0a /

A tidbit of information I didn't have before.

I know what you mean about the generic kernel finding root and swap.
As you mentioned it I recalled the config line indicating 'root on xxx
swap on yyy'. Guess I've gotten too accustomed to not so true BSD systems,
watching Sun not specify the root device and allowing generic for swap.
I stepped away from Vaxen shortly after getting a job, so this is my
return to them.  (10 years ago I hadn't yet touched 4BSD :-(

When I do get things running I think I'd like to experiment more in this
area, ie booting in non standard ways :-)

Ahh. To think a friend and I argued over how copy knew where the b
partition started while our friendly DEC serviceman wiped clean the
two RP07's. I was on the wrong end of that argument too.

Thanks.

Zach