>> hmm...assuming the second command there is fdisk and not disk...what
>> do i tell it if fdisk (for the first command) responds:
>> 
>>   fdisk: DIOCGINFO: Inappropriate ioctl for device
>> 
>> do i feed it /dev/rwd0d instead?  /dev/rwd0c?
>
>'wd0' should be fine; fdisk will translate this to /dev/rwd0d which is
>correct.

i left it off and the fdisk seemed quite happy without it.

>How is wd0 probed by the kernel ?

lessee...

...
pciide0 at pci0 dev 5 function 1: Intel 82371AB IDE controller (PIIX4)
pciide0: bus-master DMA support present
pciide0: primary channel wired to compatibility mode
wd0 at pciide0 channel 0 drive 0: <IBM-DARA-212000>
wd0: drive supports 16-sector pio transfers, lba addressing
wd0: 11513 MB, 16383 cyl, 16 head, 63 sec, 512 bytes/sect x 23579136 sectors
wd0: 32-bits data port
wd0: drive supports PIO mode 4, DMA mode 2, Ultra-DMA mode 4
pciide0: primary channel interrupting at irq 14
wd0(pciide0:0:0): using PIO mode 4, Ultra-DMA mode 2 (using DMA data transfers)
...

anyhow...now i've got a laptop that boots win98 from the netbsd boot
selector, but merely prints 3 if i ask it to boot freebsd or netbsd.
ho hum.  :(

(ps - don't take my lackadaisical attitude to mean that i don't
appreciate your help -- i do.  i've just decided that as important it
might be to me to get my laptop working in spiffy shape, i'm not gonna
get frustrated by it.  :)

-- 
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