On Sat, 5 Jul 1997 16:34:53 +1000 (EST),
    Gregory McGarry <gmcgarry@lux.sprc.qut.edu.au> writes:

 >I get the following error during a tftp boot of the
 >nfsnetbsd.ecoff kernel on a DS5000/25:
 >
 >844736+41600?IO: 3/tftp, a.out err (-5)
 >
 >during the boot command
 >
 > >> boot 3/tftp/nfsnetbsd.ecoff


I <jonathan@dsg.stanford.edu> replied:

>This is a PROM bug.
>
>Or at the very least, it's an an incompatiblity between the PROM
>version in your 5000/25, and the ECOFF format produced by elf2ecoff.

Okay, if you type

	>> go 0x80030000

After the "a.out err (-5)", the kernel should boot.

If I try TFTPbooting an R4000 config kernel on my 5000/150, using a
de-linted and lightly hacked version elf2ecoff, I get the identical
error:

	>>boot 3/tftp

	-tftp boot(3), bootp 36.103.0.36:netbsd.ecoff 
	-tftp load 1182752+53360\
	?IO: 3/tftp, a.out (-5)

which has happened after loading the kernel text and data.
If I then type "go 0x80030000", the kernel boots:	

	>>go 0x80030000
	Using PROM serial output until serial drivers initialized
	Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
	    The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.
	
	real mem = 33554432
	avail mem = 27561984

[etc].
Just type the desired root device when prompted and you're golden.