OpenBSD 3.1 install hangs on 'makedev all'

[crossposted in desperation from BSDforums.org]

Guys,
I'm stuck and need some help. I received the OpenBSD 3.1 a couple days ago, and was going to install it on a box, but find myself banging my head against it. The box is a Compaq Presario 4160 (150 MHz Pentium, 128 MB RAM, 8 GB HD). Boots fine from CD, runs though install, finds NICs (an NE2000 found as dc0 and a 3Com 309, both PCI). However, after entering the timezone it hangs on making the devices. I disabled onboard sound, APM, VGA palette snoop, left PCI bus mastering on. The two NICs are the only cards. I boot bsd with -c and disable isapnp, pcibios, apm, usb, uhub. But all to no avail. It still hangs on the device make. It prints three dots and sits there.
If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know....
Thanks,
Frank

1) How big is your HD, 8GB or 2GB? Make sure it's a clean drive (low formatted)
2) Do not boot -c and disable things. Instead, disable things you don't need in CMOS setup
3) Do not disable pcibios

Better yet, just enter CMOS setup again and load the default settings then proceed to reinstall OpenBSD. You can toggle them one at a time at postinstall.

PS. Since you are installing from CD, therefore the NICs are not needed during initial install.

The drive is 8 GB (sorry, I posted the wrong size on the other board), and yes, the drive has been wiped clean.

Everything in CMOS is disabled, except for one serial port, the video, and the two NIC's. Stuff like sounds, apm, printer port, game port, etc are all disabled.

The pcibios thing was a recommendation by someone else. Didn't make a differen though Both FreeBSD and NetBSD can find and make all devices just fine, it's only OpenBSD that hangs .....

I have already tried to install it without any NIC's in it, didn't make a different. I'm at a loss... any other suggestions?

Frank

Get another CD, maybe yours is scratched or has corrupt files.

I had a similar problem years ago, I downloaded it again and it worked.

Hope this helps...

>> Get another CD, maybe yours is scratched or has corrupt files

makedev probably has nothing to do with the CD itself, likely a dirty disk.

>> the drive has been wiped clean

Do it again with the best universal disk manager, go get it from ontrack.com.

>> The pcibios thing was a recommendation by someone else

Not a recommendation but a REQUIRED device. Here's part of the dmesg of my OpenBSD boxes:

I had the same problem on a Compaq 6000 (166 MHz Pentium). I'm not really sure what causes it, but I have a workaround.

First, when you get the "Install, Upgrade, or Shell" prompt, choose shell. Then do the following:

# ed install.sub
,s/sh MAKEDEV all/sh/g
w
q
# (Ctrl-D to exit shell)

You will get an error about /etc/rc, then you will get the "Install, Upgrade, or Shell" prompt again; choose install or upgrade as required.

The install will proceed normally, until you get to the makedev step; you will get a shell prompt instead. Type the following:

# eo='echo'; export eo
# ./MAKEDEV all > md.sh
# sh md.sh
# (Ctrl-D to exit shell)

The install will then proceed again normally.

I am not sure why this happens. The install went great on my old Gateway 133 Pentium, but on this Compaq and another Compaq 4000, I had this problem.