I'm currently running Sarge with all of the up-to-date Sid packages and files. I'm still running the old 2.4.18 Kernel from the original Woody install. I downloaded and extracted the Kernel source for 2.6.6 from Kernel.org to my /usr/src directory.

I'm still very much a newbie (I'd NEVER even had so much as actually seen a Linux based OS until just 4 days ago when I installed Woody!) so please bear with me. I've done numerous searches on the web and here and they all helped out to this point but in this instance I feel I need to ask for help since I couldn't find and answer for this, although I'm sure it's out there and been asked somewhere.

Anyway, I want to of course use xconfig so I know to type "cd /usr/src/linux-2.6.6" and then type "make xconfig". I however want to use my existing config file, config-2.4.18-bf2.4 in the /boot directory, to base my new 2.6.6 configuration on. I'd like to be able to open xconfig and all of my current kernel options be already checked then all I have to do is simply select a few new options I want and then just build the new kernel. (To build I just save the xconfig file and use the command "make bzImage" right? Will it recognize the xconfig file I saved or what? Details please!)

How do I set it up so that I can just open up xconfig and things be how I described? I've read about the "make oldconfig" command but I just don't understand it and can't get it to work. I've copied my config-2.4.18-bf2.4 file from my /boot directory to my /usr/src directory where the linux-2.6.6 folder is but then I get lost and don't know exactly what to type or how to type it or if I should rename my copied config file or what, I'm totally confused, lol! If I just type "make oldconfig" what is suppossed to happen? I see things happening in my promt window but I don't understand what it's doing or where it's saving anything if that's indeed what it's doing.

Can someone PLEASE help me out with what prompt commands I need to use and what exactly I need to do to accomplish what I want as far as being able to open xconfig and my existing kernel options being already checked so I can simply choose my new ones to add?

Lastly, what does it mean to "compile a module"? I see comments like "If you've chosen to compile any modules, you'll also need to 'make modules' and 'make modules_install" but I don't know what they are referring too.

Thanks!

Alex

f*irst thing you need to know your hardware
*second you need to know basic linux commands just in case you mess up stuff
*third there are many threads about kernel compiling in this site
*use the search function of this forum

If you are that new to linux, it may be a better idea to install a 2.6 precompiled kernel.

If you want to compile a new kernel anyway: copy your old kernel-config to /usr/src/linux-2.6.6/.config (don't forget the dot). But I don't know if a 2.4 kernel configuration works well for a 2.6 kernel. I've also experiences problems, just using my old kernel-config: I think it has to do with standard Debian kernels using initrd. The old kernel-configs didn't work for me, I had to modify the to get them to work.

When configuring with x-config you will get lot's of questions about kernel-options you have never heard about, especially not if you have just started linux. I think you'd better get to know linux first.

And last: there is a debian way of making kernels, kpkg, which makes debian packages of your kernels, which you must install after that. Very convenient, you can easily uninstall kernels like that.

Well from what you guys are saying it's obvious to me that you don't think I know enough to be able to pull it off so I'm not even going to bother. I'll buy a Linux book and do some reading in my spare time.

For now though I downloaded the newest daily build of beta 4 for the web install of the latest packages from Sid, it was like 107MB, and I reformatted and installed using that. It worked perfectly!!!! I wish I had started out using it! It automatically did what took me a couple days to figure out when it came to some other features! Although I'll say that without my previous knowledge, it would have done me no good because I would not have known wich choices to make to make my life easier. Now I've got Kernel 2.6.6, KDE 3.2.3, and all the other cool new stuff.

I'm happy for now

Thanks!