ok ive never compiled a kernel before. im using the 2.6.3 kernel rite now in my mandrake 10.0. just heard 2.6.7 is available and stable.so wanted to upgrade my kernel. so could u guys help me regarding where to find the source file and how to actually compile this .
vin.

www.kernel.org to get the download. Actually 2.6.8 should be out soon.

Anyway, you get the tar.gz and put it in /usr/src and tar xfvz it.

Then you cd to the new directory and run

make xconfig and then the fun starts

To be honest it took me a while to get the kernel right, and I've been using linux for years, but it won't hurt anything for you to go to that stage and when you do we can chat more about it...

Actually it's not too bad, but there are a lot of options and you have to go through everything carefully to make sure you get it all right.

In the end tho it's okay as you always keep the kernel you are using now and add the new kernel to lilo so you can boot either at boot time. That way if anything goes wrong you just boot the original and try again.

hey thanks mate....btw what about my present device drivers....in the current mandrake version i guess its all compiled with my 2.6.3. but do i need to do something for 2.6.7 to have all the required modules for my sound drivers and so on.
vin.

Sound, ethernet, etc are included as kernel modules so you get new ones with the new kernel. You would need to recompile something like the nvidia kernel module or somethinjg like that.

When finally compiling the kernel you do things like make bzImage (which will be used as the kernel) then make modules (all the drivers not inside the kernel) and make modules_install.

Then you install the kernel and add it to lilo and add a simlink to the kernel source so things like nvidia or whatever can find it and that should be it...

Myself and other here can certainly walk you through the worst of it... Tho I tend to be away a lot on weekends.

What amosf explains is showed here in more detail:

http://justlinux.com/nhf/Compiling_K...mpilation.html

With "make oldconfig" you keep your old kernel settings and you are only asked about the new options.

thanks guys...ill keep u updated on my progress....!
thanks again