Installed Debian from the Sarge-3.1 DVD with 2.6.8.2 kernel.
My onboard NIC (sk98lin) was not recognized during installation.
Compilation of the module for this NIC failed:
<snip>
common/sk98lin.4
common/skgeinit.c
common/sktimer.c
common/skgepnmi.c
common/skgehwt.c
common/skgemib.c
misc/
misc/Kconfig
misc/Configure.help

+++ Compile the driver
+++ ====================================
make: Entering directory `/usr/src/kernel-headers-2.6.8-2'
Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST
make: Leaving directory `/usr/src/kernel-headers-2.6.8-2'
+++ Compiler error

Did not have this problem with other distros on the same computer.
However these use newer kernels.
Thus I compiled the 2.6.12.3 vanilla kernel with a .config from a working other distro.
Used make-kpkg --revision=.250905 kernel_image.
Installed this kernel and made an initrd.img.
However kernel does not boot:
Cannot open /lib/modules/???? (could not read that fast)
Kernel panic!
found in /tmp/mkinitrd.qX in modules.most:
/lib/modules/2.6.8-2-686/kernel/fs/reiserfs/reiserfs.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.8-2-686/kernel/fs/romfs/romfs.ko
So it's trying to load the wrong modules, I guess.
What went wrong??
Any hint is much appreciated

Do you need an intrd with your kernel configuration? If so, you will need to add the "--initrd" so that the make-kpkg command will bill the initrd for the kernel.

I did that before: make-kpkg --initrd.
That resulted in: unable to boot from .....
Yes I need an initrd.img with the config I used.
I read in another post that the Debian kernel source is (cramfs?) patched.
Where can I download this source?

Do to see what versions are available and then Where XX is the version you want. I think the latest version available in debian unstable is still 2.6.11

The newer ones are linux-source now. "apt-cache search linux-source-2.6" gives:2.6.12-9 on unstable and 2.6.12-6 on testing.

Thanks all,

I tried to find the newest debian kernel source on one of the mirrors.
(My NIC is not recognized; so apt-get install won't work).
The one I found was 2.6.8
Installed the source and could compile sk98lin succesfully.
My screen froze when I activated eth0.
Reboot ended in kernel panic:

eth0: network connection up using port A
<snip>
Kernel BUG at net/core/skbuff.c.91!
<snip>
<0> Kernel panic: Fatal exception in interrupt.

Well, I guess I have to compile and install a new kernel-image with PCI-Express enabled before I compile the NIC-module

Any (better) idea is much appreciated.

Found a Debian 2.6.12-kernel source.
This patched source was easily compiled and installed.
The kernel boots ... and I can write this post.

Tnx all