begin  quotation of Brandon Kuczenski on 2004-12-12 23:11:24 -0500:

> I wasn't sure; I went by the listing of /dev/rwd0d at the top of the
> disklabel output.  In any case, when I mount -t /dev/wd0e /mnt/point I get
> the following:
> 
> in syslog:
> Dec 11 09:16:58  /netbsd: wd0: no disk label
> Dec 11 09:16:58  /netbsd: ntfs_readntvattr_plain: POSSIBLE RUN ERROR
> Dec 11 09:16:58  /netbsd: ntfs_readattr_plain: ntfs_readntvattr_plain failed: o: 0, s: 1177000
> Dec 11 09:16:58  /netbsd: ntfs_readattr_plain: attrib: 0 - 287
> 
> ... and on the console:
> mount_ntfs: /dev/wd0e on /tmp/home: Argument list too long
> 
> ..which looks inauspicious.

You mentioned in your first post the disk was dying; I would guess
that this is a symptom.