I think I am still having fumble fingers problems.
I have attempted to install 1.2G from scratch 4 times.
I keep almost getting there.

I have the label done, the boot blocks on, the kernel and boot in the 
'a' partition, all of the usr.* tar files untarred and set up,
all the '/' files untarred (using --unlink the first 3 times ) 
So, I think I am following the install instructions by the book.

I have installed 3 times from tape.  Each of those times either
I have had a terminal hang (PC running telix) OR the system froze,
Figuring it was a problem with something getting out of wack on the
system, I went back to start all over.
Looked like I got everything in, booted and got hung or something
after the 'motd' message.

This last time I hung my 1.2G disk off of another 1.1A system.
I installed the files (into the 'b' partition from tape), copied over
the kernel, after doing a 'newfs' on my partitions (still using 'a', 'b'
and 'f' just like with 1.1A.
I then booted from my 1.1A drive.  Mounted my 1.2G drive as /mnt for the
root, and /mnt/usr for the usr partition.  Then I moved over the tar.gz
files.  I unzipped them, did the tar -xvpf and got everything in
proper partitions.  set up my fstab, did an fsck, everything looked GOOD.
booted off the 1.2G drive.
No Joy!
I got thru the boot sequence until clearing /tmp.
viola. it hung.  Not the PC.  just the vax.

Any hints? SHould I just keep trying from scratch?
thanks
bob