FYI, i've just pulled up to the 1.4 branch the updated alpha boot
blocks i've been working on.

The benefit to you: the primary bootstrap no longer encodes the block
numbers of /boot, so that you can copy a new /boot, restore from
backups, etc., without pain.  basically, it's not quite as nasty or
dangerous to install a new primary or secondary bootstrap.


The important points to know:

	* the arguments to installboot are now different.

	* the primary bootstrap names are different, and there's
	  one per supported root file system type.

	* there's a new program mkbootimage(8) which can useful.

	* the old installboot/bootxx are now supported only for
	  ustarfs images, and are named <old_name>.old.

	* the new primary boot blocks are compatible with the
	  old /boot (and the reverse, but that shouldn't be so
	  much of a concern).


I suggest y'all:

	rm /usr/mdec/* /usr/share/man/man8/alpha/*

then make and make install in sys/arch/alpha/stand and in
share/man/man8/man8.alpha.

Then you might want to read the new installboot(8) manual page and
consider updating your primary boot block with a command like:

	/usr/mdec/installboot -v <raw_device> /usr/mdec/bootxx_ffs

I'm running it on my machines.  8-)

If you run into any problems (or don't!), please get in touch.


cgd
-- 
Chris Demetriou - cgd@netbsd.org - http://www.netbsd.org/People/Pages/cgd.html
Disclaimer: Not speaking for NetBSD, just expressing my own opinion.