I wrote > In particular, I note that [the "broken" boot attaches devices in a > different order from the "working" boot]
This is not it. I took the kernel config I use for the development machine (where it works), changed only one thing --- aaeon-9:kconf/GEN91 Mon Dec 28 22:06:05 2020 +++ aaeon-9:kconf/TEST-GEN Mon Dec 28 22:06:05 2020 @@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ #options SPLASHSCREEN # Kernel root file system and dump configuration. -config netbsd root on ? type ? +config netbsd root on wd0e type ? #config netbsd root on sd0a type ffs #config netbsd root on ? type nfs and did a test run with that kernel. I still see the same syndrome: full OS works, turnkey system fails. And, now, the dmesg differences are really minimal. After stripping the I-wanna-be-Linux numbers (which make diffing two runs effectively impossible when not stripped), here are the remaining differences between the two dmesgs. None of these look significant to me. --- z.works+ Tue Mar 9 11:43:57 2021 +++ z.breaks+ Tue Mar 9 11:44:04 2021 @@ -4,12 +4,11 @@ Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. -NetBSD 9.1 (GEN91) #8: Sat Dec 19 01:01:22 EST 2020 - mo...@aaeon-9.rodents-montreal.org:/home/mouse/kbuild/GEN91 +NetBSD 9.1 (TEST-GEN) #0: Fri Apr 9 12:02:23 EDT 2021 + mo...@aaeon-9.rodents-montreal.org:/home/mouse/kbuild/TEST-GEN total memory = 4004 MB avail memory = 3862 MB cpu_rng: RDSEED -rnd: seeded with 256 bits timecounter: Timecounters tick every 1.000 msec Kernelized RAIDframe activated running cgd selftest aes-xts-256 aes-xts-512 done @@ -64,9 +63,9 @@ acpi0: X/RSDT: OemId <ALASKA, A M I ,01072009>, AslId <AMI ,00010013> acpi0: MCFG: segment 0, bus 0-255, address 0x00000000e0000000 ACPI: Dynamic OEM Table Load: -ACPI: SSDT 0xFFFF8B7F1B5B8808 0006F6 (v02 PmRef Cpu0Ist 00003000 INTL 20160422) +ACPI: SSDT 0xFFFFAB6E80FB8808 0006F6 (v02 PmRef Cpu0Ist 00003000 INTL 20160422) ACPI: Dynamic OEM Table Load: -ACPI: SSDT 0xFFFF8B7F1B5A9008 00065C (v02 PmRef ApIst 00003000 INTL 20160422) +ACPI: SSDT 0xFFFFAB6E80FA9008 00065C (v02 PmRef ApIst 00003000 INTL 20160422) acpi0: SCI interrupting at int 9 acpi0: fixed power button present timecounter: Timecounter "ACPI-Fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 1000 @@ -323,7 +322,7 @@ wsmouse0 at ums0 mux 2 WARNING: 2 errors while detecting hardware; check system log. boot device: wd0 -root on wd0g dumps on wd0b +root on wd0e dumps on wd0b root file system type: ffs kern.module.path=/stand/amd64/9.1/modules kern info: [drm] Memory usable by graphics device = 4096M @@ -331,22 +330,22 @@ kern info: [drm] Driver supports precise vblank timestamp query. kern info: [drm] failed to find VBIOS tables i915drmkms0: interrupting at ioapic0 pin 16 (i915drmkms0) -kern info: [drm] failed to retrieve link info, disabling eDP kern error: [drm:(/sys/external/bsd/drm2/dist/drm/i915/i915_drv.c:636)i915_firmware_load_error_print] *ERROR* failed to load firmware i915/kbl_dmc_ver1.bin (0) kern error: [drm:(/sys/external/bsd/drm2/dist/drm/i915/i915_drv.c:651)i915_firmware_load_error_print] *ERROR* The driver is built-in, so to load the firmware you need to include it either in the kernel (see CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE) or in your initrd/initramfs image. +kern info: [drm] failed to retrieve link info, disabling eDP kern error: [drm:(/sys/external/bsd/drm2/dist/drm/i915/intel_guc_loader.c:560)guc_fw_fetch] *ERROR* Failed to fetch GuC firmware from i915/kbl_guc_ver9_14.bin (error -2) kern error: [drm:(/sys/external/bsd/drm2/dist/drm/i915/i915_gem.c:5417)i915_gem_init_hw] *ERROR* Failed to initialize GuC, error -5 (ignored) kern info: [drm] GMBUS [i915 gmbus dpd] timed out, falling back to bit banging on pin 6 intelfb0 at i915drmkms0 -intelfb0: framebuffer at 0xffffd58067720000, size 1280x1024, depth 32, stride 5120 +intelfb0: framebuffer at 0xffff820067714000, size 1280x1024, depth 32, stride 5120 wsdisplay0 at intelfb0 kbdmux 1: console (default, vt100 emulation), using wskbd0 wsmux1: connecting to wsdisplay0 wskbd1: connecting to wsdisplay0 wskbd2: connecting to wsdisplay0 -kern info: [drm] RC6 on wsdisplay0: screen 1 added (default, vt100 emulation) wsdisplay0: screen 2 added (default, vt100 emulation) wsdisplay0: screen 3 added (default, vt100 emulation) wsdisplay0: screen 4 added (default, vt100 emulation) +kern info: [drm] RC6 on I've also tried setting wscons=NO in /etc/rc.conf and turning *all* ttys off in /etc/ttys of the full-install system (and coming in via ssh). It *still* insists on working right. I confess myself mystified. /~\ The ASCII Mouse \ / Ribbon Campaign X Against HTML mo...@rodents-montreal.org / \ Email! 7D C8 61 52 5D E7 2D 39 4E F1 31 3E E8 B3 27 4B