Someone was going to help me through my first attempt
at recompiling a kernel...Extreme newbie that I am I was a bit apprehensive, to say least...but he said, begin by cd to /usr/src/linux/..
Of course, it was not even there. Red Hat 7.2, remember?
I tried cd /usr/src/redhat/
and other variations, but I missed the right one.
What directory do I have to be in to
make xconfig?

The directory is definitely /usr/src/linux. The problem could be that you've not installed the source files yet. If you want to recompile the kernel that comes with RH7.2, then you need to install the kernel_source.something.rpm file (probably on the 1st CD), then go into /usr/src/linux and run make xconfig. If you've downloaded the kernel in .tar.gz format then:

cd /usr/src
tar -zxpvf whereeveryoudownloadedit/kernel-2.x.y.tar.gz
mv linux linux-2.x.y
ln -s linux-2.x.y linux
cd linux
make xconfig

What the above does is:
Move into the /usr/src directory.
'Unzip' the .tar.gz file and create the directories and stuff properly.
Rename the directory it creates to something more useful.
Create a link to that directory (like MS shortcuts, but very different and much more useful ).
Move into the linux directory.
Make xconfig (you know about this step already).

Obviously, you should change the x and y to whatever version you have downloaded.

Wow, I did a full install myself, from the CD's, of RedHat 7.2
and I didn't do anything unusual. Hmmm....
This is some confusing. But looks like you are right.
I hate this....
BUT THANKS, Thymox. THANKS for showing me this.
I may have to reinstall the whole thing, if I messed this
up that badly.....
AND it looks like I did!
My Bad

Serious question, now...

OKAY, IF I REINSTALL, CAN I DO IT WITHOUT LOSING A LINUX
PARTITION I HAVE THAT HAS SOME BACKED UP EXTRA THINGS?

(I have windows on one partition, a linux partition named BAK
that has some extra folders and programs and updates...
and then I have the standard 3 partitions for 7.2, with ext3.)

TomP

What exactly did you mess up? I don't think the kernel sources are installed by default on any of the RH installs. If you've buggared something else, however, then be my guest...

When you install RH and you're given the option of what method to use to partition your harddisk, you want to use DiskDruid. You can then tell it that you want the /home partition mounted, but not formatted. For the BAK partition, just do the same: mount it but don't format it. If in doubt, however, don't even mount it; you can always mount it later.

And as for hating this...what do you hate? If it's Linux you hate, then think: do you dislike it because it's hard, or because it's harder then Windows? (BTW: the second is the only viable option - and even that's disappearing slowly ).

First, THYMOX, I hate not knowing things, or wrong assumptions.
That's what I was talking about. (And I made one!)
( PLUS I hate WINDOWS equally. Which is why I came to Linux.)
Word choice and syntax were poor, that's all.
I thought I had buggered that install.
And I really didn't want to do that again, anytime soon.
As I have this lin/winmodem that took me a long time to get right
and that partition that was talked about here, and backing things
up, none of which were easy. BUT I didn't have to get MS's permission and an authorization, either, did I? (HATE XP..HATE IT!)

OKAY, after I fired that note off, I realized that it could be that
I need to JUST do this, although, as much as this appears to come
up, reconfiguring the kernel, I am shocked that it doesn't install by
default. But that is beside the point, isn't it?

Okay, let us proceed..
SO I follow the previous instructions... I can even put it in
my Backup partition, and still do this?
I mean, apparently so.Okay...So I have to go dig out my CD.

Thanks, THYMOX..
Just been a long day here, and I am only half the way through!
I do appreciate your help.

TomP

Okay,
found that kernel source rpm, finally, it was on CD2 with 7.2,
and copied it to my Backup partition, and since it was an RPM,
installed it from there.
Result was something unusual, though.
TWO Folders...one zipped, called linux 2.4
and the other is not, called linux 2.4.7-10.

Is this okay, and can I proceed now with my Make Xconfig

OR NOT?

Thanks..and sorry about sounding a little harried..

Tom P

Well, that all depends on the contents of the directories. I'm not running RH at the moment so I can't be certain of the exact way it does it, but I'm presuming it's the same as in Mandy.

If one of the directories contains stuff like the Makefile, and lots of subdirs like Documentation, RPMS, net, etc, etc, then that's the one you want.

First of all, symlink that directory to one called linux. ln -s linux-2.4 linux.

Then you go into the linux directory and do the whole make xconfig thing.

Oh, BTW, if you've got a speedy connection then you could get the latest kernel from www.kernel.org. It would be in .tar.gz (or .tar.bz2) format, which can be less confusing.