No suitable SOC memory configuration found.

[bob prohaska]

After updating 12-stable on a Pi2B with a GENERIC kernel the machine
started to fall into an endless boot cycle, reporting in part:
.....
iichb1: <BCM2708/2835 BSC controller> mem 0x804000-0x80401f irq 10 on simplebus0
spi0: <BCM2708/2835 SPI controller> mem 0x204000-0x20401f irq 11 on simplebus0
spibus0: <OFW SPI bus> on spi0
bcm_dma0: <BCM2835 DMA Controller> mem 0x7000-0x7fff,0xe05000-0xe05fff irq 12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24 on simplebus0
Checking root against brcm,bcm2836
panic: No suitable SOC memory configuration found.
cpuid = 0
time = 1
Uptime: 1s
Automatic reboot in 15 seconds - press a key on the console to abort
.....

I don't think it's the kernel, because two other kernels, one in the 11-stable
vintage, do the same thing. I did make some changes to /boot/loader.conf and
would like to try skipping it in a boot to single-user to see what happens.
The changes didn't cause obvious/immediate problems, but I've no better ideas.

Is there some way let the kernel boot -s without reference to loader.conf?

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska