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I've install debian etch at my laptop...sucessfull.!
now I want to upgrate my kernel... for a higher one...!!!
i run the Linux 2.6.18-4-k7 #1 SMP Wed Feb 21 16:48:19 UTC 2007 i686 GNU/Linux
kernel ...
the question is that if I can it patch-it with the patch that the www.kernel.org offers currend patch is the 2.6.20.3 or must I patch it firs with others patches????
first, WHY do you want to do this? if you have no specific reason to, i'd suggest you should wait until you do have a reason.
you can not patch an existing binary kernel, the patches at kernel.org are to step from the previous release to the next. you personally will probably never have a valid reason to want to do this. i'd advise you stick with standard kernels available via apt.
you're free to compile your own kernels of course, but YMMV.
I agree with acid_kewpie, take care it's a big operation.
You should NEVER upgrade a kernel. A good rule is to always keep a rescue one.
So what you can do is to add another one: you can have 2 kernels in /boot and in grub you choose the one you want.
Debian hasn't created any official (==fully tested) binary package yet, but there is an unofficial debian repository which contains the 2.6.20.3 made 4 days ago.
Add this to your repository list (/etc/apt/sources.list)
In addition to the above, I can validate that 2.6.20.3 works just fine with Debian Etch. I got the source from kernel.org and it compiled with no problems, no surprises. One issue I've had with 2.6.20 has been that madwifi wouldn't work with it. But, madwifi 0.9.3 takes care of that problem.
By the way, I've got 8 bootable kernels. I generally don't remove older ones until I'm sure a later kernel won't cause a problem. But, even I admit that this is a few too many. Guess I'll have to remove some of them.
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