configuration problem on a 3/50 - wont configure

[Grant Collins]

I have a problem configuring a new kernel on a diskless 3/50 served by a
4/260 (both running 4.0.3).  Basically it wont work!  The manual states
that the kernel MUST be made on a machine of the same architecture as that
which it will run on.  Does anyone know why this is so?  I mean, surely
you can cross compile on the 4/260..  Anyway, the manual (pg 155,
"Installing the SunOS 4.0.3") shows a work-around for creating a kernel on
a diskless client of a different architecture to the server.  Basically,
it creates the kernel on the root partition as the /usr partition is
read-only.  Here's what happens (machine name is 'europa'):

root at europa/home# mkdir europa
root at europa/home# cd /home/europa
root at europa/home/europa# ln -s /usr/sys/* .
root at europa/home/europa# rm sun3
root at europa/home/europa# mkdir sun3
root at europa/home/europa# cd sun3
root at europa/home/europa/sun3# ln -s /usr/sys/sun3/* .
root at europa/home/europa/sun3# rm conf
root at europa/home/europa/sun3# mkdir conf
root at europa/home/europa/sun3# cd conf
root at europa/home/europa/sun3/conf# ln -s /usr/sys/sun3/conf/* .
root at europa/home/europa/sun3/conf# cp DL50 EUROPA
root at europa/home/europa/sun3/conf# chmod +w EUROPA
root at europa/home/europa/sun3/conf# config EUROPA
Doing a "make depend"
*** Error code 1
make: Fatal error: Command failed for target `makedep'
root at europa/home/europa/sun3/conf#

Exactly the same thing happens if I try to make the appropriate kernel on
a diskless 3/80; or a generic kernel; or if I make the /usr partition
writeable; or if I try to make the kernel on the server.