Well, it appears something has been broken during the last 2 months. Good to know I'm not alone in this.
I have a 2.4.23 kernel I used from a 20031128 CVS snapshot that works fine, but a 2.4.23 20031214 snapshot didn't work (on an R4400@250MHz I2), so likely the problem was introduced sometime between those dates. Might help for tracking down the issue.
--Kumba
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"Such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere." --Elrond