Hello everyone!
There is actually more than one question.
I'm gonna try to install a USB cd-rw on my laptop that's running
Mandrake Linux 8.1. Sensing that all may not go well and I may need to update my kernel for driver support, I've been looking for my kernel source. Everything I read says that the kernel source should be in /usr/src/linux, but all I've got under /usr/src is /RPM and all the subdirectories under /RPM are empty. Where could the kernel source be? Are there any commands to help me locate it? If i did update the kernel would it be okay to unpack and configure the new one in /usr/src like the I've been reading?

Also, my current kernel is 2.4.8-26. If i were to upgrade to 2.4.18 would it be better to patch all the way up to .18 or just get the whole 2.4.18 kernel? What are the differences between the two, if any.

Sorry for all the questions. I'm a newbie.
Thanks for your previous and future help.

ok, you need to install the kernel-sources rpm specifically, then it will be there.

i'd not personally recommend patching 10 versions, bit of a risk for a newbie, you can get the rpms for 2.4.18-6mdk from rpmfind.net tho, and they should install fine. BUT they've hardcoded in a REALLY nasty frambuffer logo type thing. to get rid of this i just took the config file from that rpm package, and compiled the original kernel source with it.. looks much better imho. but that's irrelevant!

Cool. Thanks for the info acid_kewpie. I appreciate it.