The Version Game: RHL 9, 2.4.20-6 vs 2.4.21-4 for a Kernel Build
 

I need to build a realtime kernel from either RHL9 2.4.21-4 (Enterprise) or RHL 9 2.4.20-6. The How-To <http://www.opentech.at/howtos/multib...tall_en_2.html> for the kernel build offers a patch for Linux 2.4.20 and the kernel modules for rtlinux as seen in the How-To:

* Linux-Kernel 2.4.20
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kern...-2.4.20.tar.z2
* RTLinux 3.2-pre2
http://www.opentech.at/pub/rtlinux/r...2-pre2.tar.bz2

I would guess that this rules out 2.4.21-4 as starting point, correct? In fact, I would think one would need a kernel patch corresponding to the kernel available.

Are these patches just to bring a version to some status for a specific kernel build such as the rt kernel, i.e., the above patches 2.4.20 to prepare for a rt kernel, or can they be patches to bring say a kernel version up to another? For example, 2.4.20 to 2.4.21.

Forgetting about the rtlinux build for the moment, is it possible to leap from say RHL 2.4.20 to Fedora-whatever with a single patch

If I wanted to build a kernel for RHL 9 2.4.21-4 would I need to find a rtlinux-3.2-pre2 specifically for it. What's the relevance of 3.2?

A less interesting question is what's the difference between RHL 9 2.4.20 and RHL9 2.4.21 (Enterprise)?

You have to patch rtlinux patch with the mentioned kernel only. Kernel version can be updated by patching also. But this works with vanilla kernel from www.kernel.org Go there you will see patches to update kernel from say 2.4.1 to 2.4.6 Since redhat doesn't releases such patches you can't update via patches.

My site Veera's

This brings up another question. What do each of the digits in 3.4.20-6 mean?