Erik Bertelsen wrote:

> On Sun, Apr 04, 1999 at 11:12:32PM +1000, Simon Burge wrote:
> > Folks,
> > 
> > I've not used sysinst since it grew status windows for commands to track
> > problems.  With a 1.4 ALPHA build on a pmax, I get the following:
> > 
> >      Status: Failed 
> >     Command: /sbin/newfs /dev/rrz0a
> >      Press any key to continue
> >  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > |                                                                              |
> > |  [[ more blank lines ]]                                                      |
> >  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > and nothing else.  Following that I get an error newfs'ing /dev/rrz0d,
> 
> Is this what I observed on macppc several weeks ago: sysinst was changed
> to require pty's in /dev as they are used to capture the command output ?
> 
> If the newfs command works directly from the shell after exiting the installer,
> try to make a few pty's in /dev and then retry the installer.

This was the problem.  The kernel had ptys but none in /dev.  Thanks to
all private and public replies.

Simon.