> 
> displays some very strange (possibly broken) patterns on the
> screen until the keyboard is initialized. I'm expecting the

This is quite normal for the 8-bit graphic board.  I have a
3100/30 GPX that does the same thing -- shifting odd patterns
on the screen as it initializes itself.

> usual boot prompt then but nothing happens (the console selection
> switch is down). Does anyone know what's wrong? I have no
> experience with VAXes, so I need some help here.

Hmm, I don't remember which way the console selection switch is
supposed to go.  Try flipping it in the other direction and
rebooting.

You should wait a while, too, because it takes at least a full 60
seconds before anything other than initialization patterns appear
on my screen.  I  don't remember the exact pattern, but I seem to
remember first the screen goes mostly white, with a few bars of
black; then there's a blocky, chunky pattern of sqaure shapes, the
middle one moves  around a bit; then there's a few rows of what
almost looks like random noise.  That's normal :)  Then the
self-test count-down text appears.

If you're still not getting anything, try plugging a VT320 (or
whatever) terminal into the printer port on the back of the system,
set it for 9600bps 8N1, and watch the output.  You'll need a
serial console for NetBSD at any rate.

-Seth