Kernel 2.5.62 "unable to open initial console"

[Downing, Thomas]

Apologies of off-topic or screamingly idiotic or newbie :-)

Booting 2.5.62 results in no console.  Looking at syslog shows:

Warning: unable to open initial console

I am not using devfs - /dev/console is there, char major 5, minor 1.

Kernel was built without MDA or framebuffer support, without serial or
parallel console, with CONFIG_VGA_CONSOLE 1 and CONFIG_DUMMY_CONSOLE 1.

Problem has been present since at least 2.5.59.

System runs normally if booted with 2.5.24.