Downgrading isn't a problem, so long as everything matches..
Use the highest number kernel image..

Add iptables to the end of the install list.
Apt-get can install many packages at once from a list..

Sorry.... posted to wrong thread.

ahhh ...
COLUMNS=210 dpkg -l kernel*
.. now i can see all... but still no difference in reported results.... (I grepped it for net & ip_ta & ipta - nothing)

wooshy

sorry what exactly am i about to do here? I tried :
apt-get --reinstall install kernel-image-2.6.8-9 iptable
and got...
E: Couldn't find package kernel-image-2.6.8-9
so did:
apt-get --reinstall install kernel-image iptables
and got:
Package kernel-image is a virtual package provided by:
kernel-image-2.6.8-2-k7-smp 2.6.8-13
kernel-image-2.6.8-2-k7 2.6.8-13
kernel-image-2.6.8-2-686-smp 2.6.8-13
kernel-image-2.6.8-2-686 2.6.8-13
kernel-image-2.6.8-2-386 2.6.8-13
kernel-image-2.6.8-10-em64t-p4-smp 2.6.8-11
kernel-image-2.6.8-10-em64t-p4 2.6.8-11
kernel-image-2.6.8-10-amd64-k8-smp 2.6.8-11
kernel-image-2.6.8-10-amd64-k8 2.6.8-11
kernel-image-2.6.8-10-amd64-generic 2.6.8-11
kernel-image-2.4.27-speakup 2.4.27-1
kernel-image-2.4.27-2-k7-smp 2.4.27-8
kernel-image-2.4.27-2-k7 2.4.27-8
kernel-image-2.4.27-2-k6 2.4.27-8
kernel-image-2.4.27-2-686-smp 2.4.27-8
kernel-image-2.4.27-2-686 2.4.27-8
kernel-image-2.4.27-2-586tsc 2.4.27-8
kernel-image-2.4.27-2-386 2.4.27-8
You should explicitly select one to install.
E: Package kernel-image has no installation candidate

??
what does it do? am i reinstalling the kernel? if so i might be getting the wrong one... (or am i just reinstalling iptables from the kernel?)

ahhhh i'm going mad! 2 days now on this stoopid thing and i'm slowly breaking stuff (virtually and reaally!)

woosh

Ahhh... (breaking it quietly)... that's a package list for kernels..

You won't find any other packages in the kernel list, eh..

I'm just checking the kernel list I have.. one moment..

According to my list, you can install kernel-image-2.6.8-2-???
and chose your arch; 686, k7 or 386 in place of ???

Which means, do
apt-get --reinstall install kernel-image-2.6.8-2-686 iptables
to install both a good kernel and iptables..

i've got:
kernel-headers-2.6.8-9-amd64-generic kernel-headers-2.6.8-9-amd64-k8
kernel-headers-2.6.8-9-amd64-k8-smp
kernel-headers-2.6.8-9-em64t-p4
kernel-headers-2.6.8-9-em64t-p4-smp

the server is an AMD Athlon XP 2200+

.. so which kernel should i use..?
... and once i've done that i guess i should upgrade my kernel again?

...might it be easier (and less error-prone) if i just go and re-make the kernel with make menuconfig?
(or will this not fix the module problem?)
??
(i'm beginning to wish i went with fedora)

(thanx 4 all yr help)

sorry - correction - ive got:
kernel-image-2.6.8-9-amd64-generic
kernel-image-2.6.8-9-amd64-k8
kernel-image-2.6.8-9-amd64-k8-smp
kernel-image-2.6.8-9-em64t-p4
kernel-image-2.6.8-9-em64t-p4-smp

Best to get the standard Debian package!

Each distro has it's specific performance patches included in the sources, but having been down this road, you gotta get used to building kernels before trying it on a real server.. Very surprising things happen if you make one without doing all the homework..

Your kernel-image list looks too short.. There is a package for 686, maybe a lower version number..

Try doing apt-get install kernel-image for a different list...

yeh sure - i got
kernel-image-2.6.9-2-686

i'll try that one...

oh:
Package kernel-image-2.6.9-2-686 is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package kernel-image-2.6.9-2-686 has no installation candidate

....hmm

Post the /etc/apt/sources.list file pls

how about this - shows up in the apt-get install kernel-image:
kernel-image-2.6.8-2-686 2.6.8-13

right .....

that's going ahead...

all done ... now how do i get my module installed?
do i need to reboot?
do i need to modprobe?
(and do i then need to upgrade the kernel?)

apt-sources:
deb http://debian.uchicago.edu/debian/ testing main
deb-src http://debian.uchicago.edu/debian/ testing main
deb http://non-us.debian.org/debian-non-US testing/non-US main
deb-src http://non-us.debian.org/debian-non-US testing/non-US main

#deb ftp://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ stable main
#deb-src ftp://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ stable main
#deb http://non-us.debian.org/debian-non-US stable/non-US main
#deb-src http://non-us.debian.org/debian-non-US stable/non-US main

deb http://security.debian.org/ testing/updates main
deb http://backports.debian.skynet.be/ stable cyrus-sasl2

.. this machines in the us...

Ok, now it's installed, look in /lib/modules/2.6.8-2/kernel/net/ipv4/netfilter for the kernel modules.

Make sure you reinstall iptables to get a set compiled against this kernel..
You could even uninstall kernel-2.4.18-bf2.4 to be sure..

Do lilo -q to see which kernel will be booted,
then cat /etc/lilo.conf to make sure you have the new kernel listed. Follow any links.

If it's all ok, do lilo -v and check the kernel to be booted is correct, and reboot..