Trouble booting into OpenFirmware G4 (AGP)

I hit Cmd+Opt+O+F after the chime and OSX doesn't start. Green power light stays lit. Screen is completely blank. My monitor doesn't seem to get any signal from the computer and goes into powersave mode. If I power it off and then back on it boots normally? What's up? I "need" to get into NVRAMRC to alter my FSB. Or I could just install the DIP switch...

For this to work you need both OS 9 and X installed. Is that the case? If you have only OS X installed maybe there is no choice?

I have a hard drive with OS 9 on it. If I change the setting using that, will it carry over when I swap my OSX hard drive back in? I'm afraid I don't understand some of the architecture.