I, for no real good reason, have tried to install NetBSD/vax 1.6.2 on a 
simulated vax (SIMH v3.2 running on Linux). The thing seems to hang somewhere 
late in boot process (messages follow).

vax162 is vaxcd.iso (MD5 of my file is 7a47e97673fdf00a0ad4be44d5848952; same 
as in ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/iso/1.6.2/MD5)

<snip>
# vax
VAX simulator V3.2-0
sim> set rq0 cdrom
sim> attach rq0 vax162
sim> boot cpu
Loading boot code from ka655x.bin


KA655-B V5.3, VMB 2.7
Performing normal system tests.
40..39..38..37..36..35..34..33..32..31..30..29..28..27..26..25..
24..23..22..21..20..19..18..17..16..15..14..13..12..11..10..09..
08..07..06..05..04..03..
Tests completed.
>>>boot dua0
(BOOT/R5:0 DUA0



  2..
-DUA0
  1..0..


>> NetBSD/vax boot [1.11 Wed Feb 11 09:14:20 UTC 2004] <<
>> Press any key to abort autoboot 4
getdisklabel: no disk label
nfs_open: must mount first.
2371692+117752=0x25fe00
Copyright (c) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
    The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
    The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.

NetBSD 1.6.2 (INSTALL) #0: Wed Feb 11 09:24:13 UTC 2004
    
autobuild@tgm.netbsd.org:/autobuild/netbsd-1-6-PATCH002/vax/OBJ/autobuild/netbsd-1-6-PATCH002/src/sys/arch/vax/compile/INSTALL

MicroVAX 3800/3900
cpu: KA655, CVAX microcode rev 6 Firmware rev 83
total memory = 16328 KB
avail memory = 11384 KB
using 229 buffers containing 916 KB of memory
mainbus0 (root)
ibus0 at mainbus0
uba0 at ibus0: Q22
dz1 at uba0 csr 160100 vec 304 ipl 15
mtc0 at uba0 csr 174500 vec 774 ipl 15
mscpbus0 at mtc0: version 5 model 3
mscpbus0: DMA burst size set to 4
mt0 at mscpbus0 drive 0: TK50
mt1 at mscpbus0 drive 1: TK50
mt2 at mscpbus0 drive 2: TK50
mt3 at mscpbus0 drive 3: TK50
uda0 at uba0 csr 172150 vec 770 ipl 15
mscpbus1 at uda0: version 3 model 3
mscpbus1: DMA burst size set to 4
ra0 at mscpbus1 drive 0: RRD40
ra1 at mscpbus1 drive 1: RD54
ra2 at mscpbus1 drive 2: RD54
rx0 at mscpbus1 drive 3: RX50
qe0 at uba0 csr 174440 vec 764 ipl 15
qe0: delqa, hardware address 08:00:2b:aa:bb:cc
md0: internal 1536 KB image area
boot device: ra0
root on md0a dumps on md0b
Clock has gained 233 days - CHECK AND RESET THE DATE.
root file system type: ffs
</snip>

It seems to hang here.

When I use the 1.5.2 CD image (MD5 of my file is 
1fc841709dfeb456a32260cab6d6330a; same as in 
ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/iso/1.5.2/MD5 ) I can proceed through 
sysinst.

What is the best way to get 1.6.2 or the 2.0 beta/release\ candidate running 
(use 1.5.2 to put the sets for newer version in place?)

How do I make a drive bootable?

	Jonathan Kollasch

PS on a side note: where, if possible, do I get ISOs of the betas/R.C.s for 
any port (I don't see them on ftp://releng.n.o)