QEMU networking and getty issues

I'm trying to create a minimalist setup for an ARM based virtual machine using qemu. I am following the following guide to do so.

I am running QEMU with the following command

qemu-system-arm -M vexpress-a9 -dtb ./linux-4.20.8/arch/arm/boot/dts/vexpress-v2p-ca9.dtb -kernel ./linux-4.20.8/arch/arm/boot/zImage -initrd rootfs.img --append "console=ttyAMA0" --nographic

I am, for some reason unable to see the login prompt. These are the boot messages

pulseaudio: set_sink_input_volume() failed
pulseaudio: Reason: Invalid argument
pulseaudio: set_sink_input_mute() failed
pulseaudio: Reason: Invalid argument
Booting Linux on physical CPU 0x0
Linux version 4.20.8 (aijazbaig1@piper11) (gcc version 4.8.3 20140320 (prerelease) (Sourcery CodeBench Lite 2014.05-29)) #2 SMP Sat Sep 7 17:17:31 +08 2019
CPU: ARMv7 Processor [410fc090] revision 0 (ARMv7), cr=10c5387d
CPU: PIPT / VIPT nonaliasing data cache, VIPT nonaliasing instruction cache
OF: fdt: Machine model: V2P-CA9
Memory policy: Data cache writeback
CPU: All CPU(s) started in SVC mode.
random: get_random_bytes called from start_kernel+0x88/0x458 with crng_init=0
percpu: Embedded 16 pages/cpu @(ptrval) s36800 r8192 d20544 u65536
Built 1 zonelists, mobility grouping on.  Total pages: 130048
Kernel command line: console=ttyAMA0 ip=dhcp
printk: log_buf_len individual max cpu contribution: 4096 bytes
printk: log_buf_len total cpu_extra contributions: 12288 bytes
printk: log_buf_len min size: 16384 bytes
printk: log_buf_len: 32768 bytes
printk: early log buf free: 14964(91%)
Dentry cache hash table entries: 65536 (order: 6, 262144 bytes)
Inode-cache hash table entries: 32768 (order: 5, 131072 bytes)
Memory: 498388K/524288K available (6144K kernel code, 400K rwdata, 1408K rodata, 1024K init, 157K bss, 25900K reserved, 0K cma-reserved)
Virtual kernel memory layout:
    vector  : 0xffff0000 - 0xffff1000   (   4 kB)
    fixmap  : 0xffc00000 - 0xfff00000   (3072 kB)
    vmalloc : 0xa0800000 - 0xff800000   (1520 MB)
    lowmem  : 0x80000000 - 0xa0000000   ( 512 MB)
    modules : 0x7f000000 - 0x80000000   (  16 MB)
      .text : 0x(ptrval) - 0x(ptrval)   (7136 kB)
      .init : 0x(ptrval) - 0x(ptrval)   (1024 kB)
      .data : 0x(ptrval) - 0x(ptrval)   ( 401 kB)
       .bss : 0x(ptrval) - 0x(ptrval)   ( 158 kB)
SLUB: HWalign=64, Order=0-3, MinObjects=0, CPUs=4, Nodes=1
rcu: Hierarchical RCU implementation.
rcu:    RCU event tracing is enabled.
rcu:    RCU restricting CPUs from NR_CPUS=8 to nr_cpu_ids=4.
rcu: RCU calculated value of scheduler-enlistment delay is 10 jiffies.
rcu: Adjusting geometry for rcu_fanout_leaf=16, nr_cpu_ids=4
NR_IRQS: 16, nr_irqs: 16, preallocated irqs: 16
GIC CPU mask not found - kernel will fail to boot.
GIC CPU mask not found - kernel will fail to boot.
L2C: platform modifies aux control register: 0x02020000 -> 0x02420000
L2C: DT/platform modifies aux control register: 0x02020000 -> 0x02420000
L2C-310 enabling early BRESP for Cortex-A9
L2C-310 full line of zeros enabled for Cortex-A9
L2C-310 dynamic clock gating disabled, standby mode disabled
L2C-310 cache controller enabled, 8 ways, 128 kB
L2C-310: CACHE_ID 0x410000c8, AUX_CTRL 0x46420001
sched_clock: 32 bits at 24MHz, resolution 41ns, wraps every 89478484971ns
clocksource: arm,sp804: mask: 0xffffffff max_cycles: 0xffffffff, max_idle_ns: 1911260446275 ns
Failed to initialize '/smb@4000000/motherboard/iofpga@7,00000000/timer@12000': -22
smp_twd: clock not found -2
Console: colour dummy device 80x30
Calibrating local timer... 97.42MHz.
Calibrating delay loop... 910.13 BogoMIPS (lpj=4550656)
pid_max: default: 32768 minimum: 301
Mount-cache hash table entries: 1024 (order: 0, 4096 bytes)
Mountpoint-cache hash table entries: 1024 (order: 0, 4096 bytes)
CPU: Testing write buffer coherency: ok
CPU0: Spectre v2: using BPIALL workaround
CPU0: thread -1, cpu 0, socket 0, mpidr 80000000
Setting up static identity map for 0x60100000 - 0x60100060
rcu: Hierarchical SRCU implementation.
smp: Bringing up secondary CPUs ...
smp: Brought up 1 node, 1 CPU
SMP: Total of 1 processors activated (910.13 BogoMIPS).
CPU: All CPU(s) started in SVC mode.
devtmpfs: initialized
VFP support v0.3: implementor 41 architecture 3 part 30 variant 9 rev 0
clocksource: jiffies: mask: 0xffffffff max_cycles: 0xffffffff, max_idle_ns: 19112604462750000 ns
futex hash table entries: 1024 (order: 4, 65536 bytes)
NET: Registered protocol family 16
DMA: preallocated 256 KiB pool for atomic coherent allocations
cpuidle: using governor ladder
hw-breakpoint: debug architecture 0x4 unsupported.
Serial: AMBA PL011 UART driver
10009000.uart: ttyAMA0 at MMIO 0x10009000 (irq = 29, base_baud = 0) is a PL011 rev1
printk: console [ttyAMA0] enabled
1000a000.uart: ttyAMA1 at MMIO 0x1000a000 (irq = 30, base_baud = 0) is a PL011 rev1
1000b000.uart: ttyAMA2 at MMIO 0x1000b000 (irq = 31, base_baud = 0) is a PL011 rev1
1000c000.uart: ttyAMA3 at MMIO 0x1000c000 (irq = 32, base_baud = 0) is a PL011 rev1
OF: amba_device_add() failed (-19) for /smb@4000000/motherboard/iofpga@7,00000000/wdt@f000
OF: amba_device_add() failed (-19) for /memory-controller@100e0000
OF: amba_device_add() failed (-19) for /memory-controller@100e1000
OF: amba_device_add() failed (-19) for /watchdog@100e5000
irq: type mismatch, failed to map hwirq-75 for interrupt-controller@1e001000!
SCSI subsystem initialized
usbcore: registered new interface driver usbfs
usbcore: registered new interface driver hub
usbcore: registered new device driver usb
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Initialized.
clocksource: Switched to clocksource arm,sp804
NET: Registered protocol family 2
tcp_listen_portaddr_hash hash table entries: 512 (order: 0, 6144 bytes)
TCP established hash table entries: 4096 (order: 2, 16384 bytes)
TCP bind hash table entries: 4096 (order: 3, 32768 bytes)
TCP: Hash tables configured (established 4096 bind 4096)
UDP hash table entries: 256 (order: 1, 8192 bytes)
UDP-Lite hash table entries: 256 (order: 1, 8192 bytes)
NET: Registered protocol family 1
RPC: Registered named UNIX socket transport module.
RPC: Registered udp transport module.
RPC: Registered tcp transport module.
RPC: Registered tcp NFSv4.1 backchannel transport module.
Unpacking initramfs...
Freeing initrd memory: 11232K
hw perfevents: enabled with armv7_cortex_a9 PMU driver, 1 counters available
workingset: timestamp_bits=30 max_order=17 bucket_order=0
squashfs: version 4.0 (2009/01/31) Phillip Lougher
jffs2: version 2.2. (NAND) © 2001-2006 Red Hat, Inc.
9p: Installing v9fs 9p2000 file system support
io scheduler noop registered (default)
io scheduler mq-deadline registered
io scheduler kyber registered
clcd-pl11x 1001f000.clcd: PL111 designer 41 rev2 at 0x1001f000
clcd-pl11x 1001f000.clcd: clcd@1f000 hardware, 640x480@59 display
Console: switching to colour frame buffer device 80x30
clcd-pl11x 10020000.clcd: PL111 designer 41 rev2 at 0x10020000
clcd-pl11x 10020000.clcd: clcd@10020000 hardware, 1024x768@59 display
40000000.flash: Found 2 x16 devices at 0x0 in 32-bit bank. Manufacturer ID 0x000000 Chip ID 0x000000
Intel/Sharp Extended Query Table at 0x0031
Using buffer write method
40000000.flash: Found 2 x16 devices at 0x0 in 32-bit bank. Manufacturer ID 0x000000 Chip ID 0x000000
Intel/Sharp Extended Query Table at 0x0031
Using buffer write method
Concatenating MTD devices:
(0): "40000000.flash"
(1): "40000000.flash"
into device "40000000.flash"
libphy: Fixed MDIO Bus: probed
smsc911x 4e000000.ethernet: Linked as a consumer to regulator.1
smsc911x 4e000000.ethernet (unnamed net_device) (uninitialized): Device not READY in 100ms aborting
isp1760 4f000000.usb: bus width: 32, oc: digital
isp1760 4f000000.usb: NXP ISP1760 USB Host Controller
isp1760 4f000000.usb: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 1
isp1760 4f000000.usb: Scratch test failed.
isp1760 4f000000.usb: can't setup: -19
isp1760 4f000000.usb: USB bus 1 deregistered
usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
rtc-pl031 10017000.rtc: registered as rtc0
mmci-pl18x 10005000.mmci: Got CD GPIO
mmci-pl18x 10005000.mmci: Got WP GPIO
mmci-pl18x 10005000.mmci: Linked as a consumer to regulator.1
mmci-pl18x 10005000.mmci: mmc0: PL181 manf 41 rev0 at 0x10005000 irq 25,26 (pio)
ledtrig-cpu: registered to indicate activity on CPUs
usbcore: registered new interface driver usbhid
usbhid: USB HID core driver
aaci-pl041 10004000.aaci: ARM AC'97 Interface PL041 rev0 at 0x10004000, irq 24
aaci-pl041 10004000.aaci: FIFO 512 entries
oprofile: using arm/armv7-ca9
NET: Registered protocol family 17
9pnet: Installing 9P2000 support
Registering SWP/SWPB emulation handler
input: AT Raw Set 2 keyboard as /devices/platform/smb@4000000/smb@4000000:motherboard/smb@4000000:motherboard:iofpga@7,00000000/10006000.kmi/serio0/input/input0
rtc-pl031 10017000.rtc: setting system clock to 2019-09-08 02:11:22 UTC (1567908682)
Sending DHCP requests ., OK
IP-Config: Got DHCP answer from 192.168.160.2, my address is 192.168.160.9
IP-Config: Complete:
     device=eth0, hwaddr=52:54:00:12:34:56, ipaddr=192.168.160.9, mask=255.255.255.0, gw=192.168.160.2
     host=192.168.160.9, domain=, nis-domain=(none)
     bootserver=192.168.160.2, rootserver=192.168.160.2, rootpath=
     nameserver0=192.168.160.3
ALSA device list:
  #0: ARM AC'97 Interface PL041 rev0 at 0x10004000, irq 24
Freeing unused kernel memory: 1024K
Run /init as init process
input: ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse as /devices/platform/smb@4000000/smb@4000000:motherboard/smb@4000000:motherboard:iofpga@7,00000000/10007000.kmi/serio1/input/input2
Starting syslogd: OK
Starting klogd: OK
Running sysctl: OK
Initializing random number generator... random: dd: uninitialized urandom read (512 bytes read)
done.
Starting network: ip: RTNETLINK answers: File exists
FAIL

In buildroot, I've tried various configurations for the getty baudrate but to no avail. Please give me some pointers as to what exactly is going wrong. Currently I have tried with vt100, kernel selected baudrate as well as vt100, 115200 and it both fails

UPDATE: As of now I have been able to see the login prompt after a slight modification to the command line arguments as follows:

qemu-system-arm -M vexpress-a9 -m 512M 
                -kernel linux-4.20.8/arch/arm/boot/zImage 
                -dtb linux-4.20.8/arch/arm/boot/dts/vexpress-v2p-ca9.dtb
                -append "console=ttyAMA0,115200 ip=dhcp" 
                -initrd buildroot/output/images/rootfs.cpio 
                -serial stdio <s>-nographic</s>
                -netdev user,id=mynet0,net=192.168.160.0/24,hostfwd=tcp::2222-:22
                -device virtio-net-device,netdev=mynet0

As you can see I've replaced -nographic with -serial stdio so I now see the QEMU GUI window separately (which is blank by the way) and I see the login prompt. Can anyone point me what is going on here??

Additionally, I cannot use ssh to log into the VM from my debian host (ssh has been selected in buildroot as you can see from the following log messages (which appear after my latest modification)

random: ssh-keygen: uninitialized urandom read (32 bytes read)
ssh-keygen: generating new host keys: RSA DSA ECDSA ED25519
Starting sshd: random: sshd: uninitialized urandom read (32 bytes read)
OK

Welcome to Buildroot
buildroot login: root
Password:

I've enabled root login by modifying the sshd_config file on the VM. I've tried ssh root@localhost:2222 as well as ssh root@192.168.160.9 but it just dies out (doesn't say if connection was refused or anything). I'm kinda lost here.

As per your instructions on the kernel command line (rdinit) the Linux kernel runs /sbin/init after boot as the first user process.

The one that is typically configured with Busybox (there are several options) will read a configuration file called /etc/inittab and act based on what is written there.

The execution of /etc/init.d/rcS, if at all, is performed from this file.

It is hard to pinpoint exactly what is happening but at a first step take a look at /etc/inittab. It is possible it is already mounting /proc.

At the very least I am guessing the errors regarding /dev/ttyy originates from directives in this file and can be silenced by editing it.