diff --git a/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/Makefile b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..29389dd62ac8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#	$NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.1 1998/11/27 23:10:28 jonathan Exp $
+
+TOP?=		${.CURDIR}/..
+ARCHDIR?=        ${.CURDIR}/../../${MACHINE}/miniroot
+
+.include "${TOP}/Makefile.inc"
+IMAGE=		ramdisk.fs
+
+CBIN=		ramdiskbin
+#CSIZE?=	6144
+CSIZE?=		4096
+MOUNT_POINT?=	/mnt
+# DEV/RDEV file system device, CDEV/RDEV vnconfig device
+VND?=		vnd0
+VND_DEV=	/dev/${VND}a
+VND_RDEV=	/dev/r${VND}a
+VND_CDEV=	/dev/${VND}c
+VND_CRDEV=	/dev/r${VND}c
+IMAGE?=		xxx.fs
+MDEC=		${DESTDIR}/usr/mdec
+
+LISTS=		list
+CRUNCHCONF=	${CBIN}.conf
+MTREE=		mtree.conf
+
+all: ${CBIN} 
+	dd if=/dev/zero of=${IMAGE} count=${CSIZE}
+	vnconfig -v -c ${VND_CDEV} ${IMAGE}
+#	disklabel -rw ${VND_CDEV} ${DISKTYPE}
+	-(disklabel ${VND_CDEV} > /tmp/proto; disklabel -R -r ${VND_CDEV} /tmp/proto)
+	-newfs -m 0 -o space -i 5120 ${VND_RDEV}
+	mount ${VND_DEV} ${MOUNT_POINT}
+	mtree -def ${.CURDIR}/${MTREE} -p ${MOUNT_POINT}/ -u
+	TOPDIR=${TOP} CURDIR=${.CURDIR} OBJDIR=${.OBJDIR} ARCHDIR=${ARCHDIR} \
+	    TARGDIR=${MOUNT_POINT} sh ${TOP}/src/runlist.sh ${.CURDIR}/${LISTS}
+	@echo ""
+	@df -i ${MOUNT_POINT}
+	@echo ""
+	umount ${MOUNT_POINT}
+	vnconfig -u ${VND_CDEV}
+
+unconfig:
+	-umount -f ${MOUNT_POINT}
+	-vnconfig -u ${VND_DEV}
+	-/bin/rm -f ${IMAGE}
+
+${CBIN}.mk ${CBIN}.cache ${CBIN}.c: ${CRUNCHCONF}
+	crunchgen -D ${TOP}/../.. -L ${DESTDIR}/usr/lib ${.ALLSRC}
+
+${CBIN}: ${CBIN}.mk ${CBIN}.cache ${CBIN}.c
+	make -f ${CBIN}.mk all
+
+clean cleandir distclean:
+	/bin/rm -f *.core ${IMAGE} ${CBIN} ${CBIN}.mk ${CBIN}.cache *.o *.lo *.c
+
+.include <bsd.own.mk>
+.include <bsd.obj.mk>
+.include <bsd.subdir.mk>
diff --git a/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/disktab.preinstall b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/disktab.preinstall
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5ae2558f632e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/disktab.preinstall
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#	$NetBSD: disktab.preinstall,v 1.1 1998/11/27 23:10:28 jonathan Exp $
+#
+# Disk geometry and partition layout tables. 
+# Key:
+#	dt	controller type
+#	ty	type of disk (fixed, removeable, simulated)
+#	d[0-4]	drive-type-dependent parameters
+#	ns	#sectors/track
+#	nt	#tracks/cylinder
+#	nc	#cylinders/disk
+#	sc	#sectors/cylinder, nc*nt default
+#	su	#sectors/unit, sc*nc default
+#	se	sector size, DEV_BSIZE default
+#	rm	rpm, 3600 default
+#	sf	supports bad144-style bad sector forwarding
+#	sk	sector skew per track, default 0
+#	cs	sector skew per cylinder, default 0
+#	hs	headswitch time, default 0
+#	ts	one-cylinder seek time, default 0
+#	il	sector interleave (n:1), 1 default
+#	bs	boot block size, default BBSIZE
+#	sb	superblock size, default SBSIZE
+#	o[a-h]	partition offsets in sectors
+#	p[a-h]	partition sizes in sectors
+#	b[a-h]	partition block sizes in bytes
+#	f[a-h]	partition fragment sizes in bytes
+#	t[a-h]	partition types (filesystem, swap, etc)
+#
+# All partition sizes reserve space for bad sector tables.
+# (5 cylinders needed for maintenance + replacement sectors)
+#
diff --git a/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/dot.hdprofile b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/dot.hdprofile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..67b9888cfd14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/dot.hdprofile
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#	$NetBSD: dot.hdprofile,v 1.1 1998/11/27 23:10:28 jonathan Exp $
+#
+# Copyright (c) 1994 Christopher G. Demetriou
+# All rights reserved.
+# 
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+# are met:
+# 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+# 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+#    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+# 3. All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this software
+#    must display the following acknowledgement:
+#	This product includes software developed by Christopher G. Demetriou.
+# 4. The name of the author may not be used to endorse or promote products
+#    derived from this software without specific prior written permission
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR
+# IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
+# OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
+# IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+# INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT
+# NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+# THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF
+# THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+#
+
+PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/
+export PATH
+TERM=pc3
+export TERM
+HOME=/
+export HOME
+
+umask 022
+
+if [ "X${DONEPROFILE}" = "X" ]; then
+	DONEPROFILE=YES
+
+	echo "Checking filesystems..."
+	fsck -y
+
+	echo "Mounting root..."
+	mount -u /
+
+	# set up some sane defaults
+	echo 'erase ^?, werase ^W, kill ^U, intr ^C'
+	stty newcrt werase ^W intr ^C kill ^U erase ^? 9600
+	echo ''
+
+	TERMCAP=/.termcap ; export TERMCAP
+
+	[ -x /sysinst ] && /sysinst
+fi
diff --git a/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/dot.profile b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/dot.profile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c6d34eafcb20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/dot.profile
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+#	$NetBSD: dot.profile,v 1.1 1998/11/27 23:10:28 jonathan Exp $
+#
+# Copyright (c) 1994 Christopher G. Demetriou
+# Copyright (c) 1997 Perry E. Metzger
+# All rights reserved.
+# 
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+# are met:
+# 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+# 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+#    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+# 3. All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this software
+#    must display the following acknowledgement:
+#	This product includes software developed by Christopher G. Demetriou.
+# 4. The name of the author may not be used to endorse or promote products
+#    derived from this software without specific prior written permission
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR
+# IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
+# OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
+# IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+# INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT
+# NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+# THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF
+# THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+#
+
+PATH=/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/
+export PATH
+TERM=sun
+export TERM
+HOME=/
+export HOME
+
+umask 022
+
+ROOTDEV=/dev/md0a
+
+if [ "X${DONEPROFILE}" = "X" ]; then
+	DONEPROFILE=YES
+
+	# get the terminal type
+	eval `tset -s -m ":?$TERM"`
+
+	# set up some sane defaults
+	echo 'erase ^?, werase ^W, kill ^U, intr ^C'
+	stty newcrt werase ^W intr ^C kill ^U erase ^? 9600
+	echo ''
+
+	# run update, so that installed software is written as it goes.
+	update
+
+	# mount the ramdisk read write
+	mount -u $ROOTDEV /
+
+	# mount the kern_fs so that we can examine the dmesg state
+	mount -t kernfs /kern /kern
+
+	# run the installation program
+	sysinst
+fi
diff --git a/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/list b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/list
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ac8ae21e4fab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/list
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+#	$NetBSD: list,v 1.1 1998/11/27 23:10:29 jonathan Exp $
+
+# copy the crunched binary, link to it, and kill it
+COPY	${OBJDIR}/ramdiskbin		ramdiskbin
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sysinst
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/cat
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/chmod
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/cp
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/dd
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/df
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/ed
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/ln
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/ls
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/mkdir
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/mt
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/mv
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/pwd
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/rm
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/sh
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/stty
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/sync
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/test
+LINK	ramdiskbin			bin/[
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/disklabel
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/fsck
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/fsck_ffs
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/halt
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/ifconfig
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/init
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/mknod
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/mount
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/mount_cd9660
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/mount_ffs
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/mount_msdos
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/mount_nfs
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/mount_kernfs
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/newfs
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/ping
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/reboot
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/restore
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/route
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/rrestore
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/shutdown
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/slattach
+LINK	ramdiskbin			sbin/umount
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/bin/chgrp
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/bin/ftp
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/bin/gunzip
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/bin/gzcat
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/bin/gzip
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/bin/more
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/bin/sed
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/bin/strings
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/bin/tar
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/bin/tip
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/bin/tset
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/mdec/installboot
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/sbin/bad144
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/sbin/chown
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/sbin/chroot
+SYMLINK	/bin/cat			usr/sbin/update
+SPECIAL	/bin/rm ramdiskbin
+
+# copy the MAKEDEV script and make some devices
+COPY	${CURDIR}/../../../etc/etc.pmax/MAKEDEV	dev/MAKEDEV
+#SPECIAL	cd dev; sh MAKEDEV minimal
+SPECIAL	cd dev; sh MAKEDEV minimal
+SPECIAL	/bin/rm dev/MAKEDEV
+
+# we need the boot blocks /usr/mdec
+COPY	${DESTDIR}/usr/mdec/rzboot		usr/mdec/rzboot
+COPY	${DESTDIR}/usr/mdec/bootrz		usr/mdec/bootrz
+
+# various files that we need in /etc for the install
+COPY	${CURDIR}/../../../etc/group		etc/group
+COPY	${CURDIR}/../../../etc/master.passwd	etc/master.passwd
+COPY	${CURDIR}/../../../etc/protocols	etc/protocols
+COPY	${CURDIR}/../../../etc/services	etc/services
+SPECIAL	pwd_mkdb -p -d ./ etc/master.passwd
+
+# and the common installation tools
+COPY	${ARCHDIR}/termcap.rcons		usr/share/misc/termcap
+
+# the disktab explanation file
+COPY	disktab.preinstall			etc/disktab.preinstall
+
+# and the installation tools
+COPY	dot.profile				.profile
+COPY	dot.hdprofile				tmp/.hdprofile
+
+
+# someday put in the release notes too
+#
+#COPY	${CURDIR}/../../notes/pmax/INSTALL.txt	INSTALL.txt
diff --git a/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/mtree.conf b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/mtree.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..182c5d9b4998
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/mtree.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+#	$NetBSD: mtree.conf,v 1.1 1998/11/27 23:10:29 jonathan Exp $
+
+/set type=dir uname=root gname=wheel mode=0755
+# .
+.
+
+# ./bin
+bin
+# ./bin
+..
+
+# ./dev
+dev
+# ./dev
+..
+
+# ./etc
+etc
+# ./etc
+..
+
+# ./mnt
+mnt
+# ./mnt
+..
+
+# ./mnt2
+mnt2
+# ./mnt2
+..
+
+# ./kern
+kern
+# ./kern
+..
+
+# ./sbin
+sbin
+# ./sbin
+..
+
+# ./tmp
+tmp             mode=01777
+# ./tmp
+..
+
+# ./usr
+usr
+
+# ./usr/bin
+bin
+# ./usr/bin
+..
+
+# ./usr/mdec
+mdec
+# ./usr/mdec
+..
+
+# ./usr/sbin
+sbin
+# ./usr/sbin
+..
+
+# ./usr/share
+share
+
+# ./usr/share/misc
+misc
+# ./usr/share/misc
+..
+
+# ./usr/share
+..
+
+# ./usr
+..
diff --git a/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/ramdiskbin.conf b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/ramdiskbin.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..16d91e32c988
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distrib/pmax/ramdisk/ramdiskbin.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#	$NetBSD: ramdiskbin.conf,v 1.1 1998/11/27 23:10:29 jonathan Exp $
+#
+# ramdiskbin.conf - unified binary for the install ramdisk
+#
+
+srcdirs bin sbin  usr.bin usr.sbin gnu/usr.bin sys/arch/pmax/stand
+#srcdirs	usr.bin/less
+
+progs cat chmod chown chroot cp dd df disklabel ed
+progs fsck fsck_ffs ftp gzip ifconfig init #less
+progs ln ls mkdir mknod mount mount_cd9660 mount_ffs mount_msdos
+progs mount_nfs mount_kernfs mt mv newfs ping pwd reboot  rm
+progs route sed sh shutdown slattach stty sync tar test
+progs tip tset umount update
+progs sysinst
+
+special sysinst srcdir distrib/utils/sysinst/arch/pmax
+special init srcdir distrib/utils/init_s
+
+ln chown chgrp
+ln gzip gzcat gunzip
+#ln less more
+ln sh -sh		# init invokes the shell this way
+ln test [
+ln mount_cd9660 cd9660
+ln mount_ffs ffs
+ln mount_msdos msdos
+ln mount_nfs nfs
+ln mount_kernfs kernfs
+ln reboot halt
+
+libs -ledit -lutil -lcurses -ltermcap -lrmt -lcrypt -ll -lm
diff --git a/distrib/pmax/src/list2sh.awk b/distrib/pmax/src/list2sh.awk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d85eb54b6172
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distrib/pmax/src/list2sh.awk
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+#	$NetBSD: list2sh.awk,v 1.1 1998/11/27 23:10:29 jonathan Exp $
+
+BEGIN {
+	printf("cd ${CURDIR}\n");
+	printf("\n");
+}
+/^$/ || /^#/ {
+	print $0;
+	next;
+}
+$1 == "COPY" {
+	printf("echo '%s'\n", $0);
+	printf("rm -f ${TARGDIR}/%s\n", $3);
+	printf("cp %s ${TARGDIR}/%s\n", $2, $3);
+	next;
+}
+$1 == "LINK" {
+	printf("echo '%s'\n", $0);
+	printf("rm -f ${TARGDIR}/%s\n", $3);
+	printf("(cd ${TARGDIR}; ln %s %s)\n", $2, $3);
+	next;
+}
+$1 == "SYMLINK" {
+	printf("echo '%s'\n", $0);
+	printf("rm -f ${TARGDIR}/%s\n", $3);
+	printf("(cd ${TARGDIR}; ln -s %s %s)\n", $2, $3);
+	next;
+}
+$1 == "COPYDIR" {
+	printf("echo '%s'\n", $0);
+	printf("(cd ${TARGDIR}/%s && find . ! -name . | xargs /bin/rm -rf)\n",
+	    $3);
+	printf("(cd %s && find . ! -name . | cpio -pdamu ${TARGDIR}/%s)\n", $2,
+	    $3);
+	next;
+}
+$1 == "SPECIAL" {
+	printf("echo '%s'\n", $0);
+	printf("(cd ${TARGDIR};");
+	for (i = 2; i <= NF; i++)
+		printf(" %s", $i);
+	printf(")\n");
+	next;
+}
+{
+	printf("echo '%s'\n", $0);
+	printf("echo 'Unknown keyword \"%s\" at line %d of input.'\n", $1, NR);
+	printf("exit 1\n");
+	exit 1;
+}
+END {
+	printf("\n");
+	printf("exit 0\n");
+	exit 0;
+}
diff --git a/distrib/pmax/src/runlist.sh b/distrib/pmax/src/runlist.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d20a4c339707
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distrib/pmax/src/runlist.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#	$NetBSD: runlist.sh,v 1.1 1998/11/27 23:10:29 jonathan Exp $
+
+if [ "X$1" = "X-d" ]; then
+	SHELLCMD=cat
+	shift
+else
+	SHELLCMD="sh -e"
+fi
+
+( while [ "X$1" != "X" ]; do
+	cat $1
+	shift
+done ) | awk -f ${TOPDIR}/src/list2sh.awk | ${SHELLCMD}