Hi,

I installed MDK10 with the 2.6 kernel. When installing development tools, I somehow reverted to 2.4 kernel. 2.6 is still there, somewhere.

In an attempt to get it back, I updated to 2.6.3-7 tonight. Everything installed fine. But, when I rebooted 2.4 was still there.

I'm a new convert from Windows so am just familiarizing myself with all the Linux terms and ways of doing things.

Can anyone post a simple step-by-step approach to switching back to the 2.63 kernel?

Thanks,
Rory

How are you determining what kernel you're running? what does the command "uname -r" say?

The process of "urpmi kernel-2.6.3.6mdk", for example, should set it up to run that kernel on a reboot.

In a terminal, type the following:

This gets you in as Super User, or more commonly referred to as Root. Now in that same terminal type:

Now type:

Now open in Konqueror (just click the house name Home) and type into the url bar:
Look for a folder named 2.6.3-7 . Now type that folder's name where ***HERE*** appears in the following code:
NOTE the space AFTER /boot/initrd-2.6.3-7.img AND the folder's name. Now go click the menu button, go to System -> System Configuration -> Boot -> Boot Loader -> Next
Add your 2.6.3-7 kernel by choosing the corresponding parts.

After adding the kernel, type:

In the terminal.

Thank you for your really excellent set of steps!!!

I urpmi 2.6.3-7 but it still rebooted in 2.4.

In file:/lib/modules it has two folders: 2.4 kernel and 2.6.3-4 kernel, so it didn't pick up teh -7 kernel.

In the bootloader MDK screen, I noticed there was an option: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.3-4 (original 2.6.3 kernel with MDK). So, I chose that. But, when I rebooted, I locked part way with a kernel init= comment.

I wonder if I needed to type your /sbin/lilo comment in the terminal after I made that selection?

It appears that with that folder and that boot option, I'm very close to being able to simply select it as a default, however I'm a simple step away, which my newbie-ness is preventing me from seeing.

Ok you probably don't have the initrd file ;-)

Here, download this file:
http://www.nofirewall.com/cache/initrd-2.6.3-4mdk.img

And put it in the /boot folder.

Should get it all working. :-)

This is all very peculiar... and interesting, quite frankly, for a newbie like me.

So I grabbed the .img (thanks!) and copied it over. Shell asked if I wanted to overwrite the identical file. Hmm. So, it was there all along. But, I ovewrote it, anyway, just in case there was something wrong with my file.

Then, I went MDK Control Centre > Boot > Bootloader > Next > Boot menu: I chose the default top login choice > linux (/boot/vmlinuz)* > select: modify > image / select: (3 choices)
/linux (/boot/vmlinuz) (default)
/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.3-4mdk
/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.25-2mdk

>I select: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.3-4mdk >ok>finish.
Bootloader is changed to: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.3-4mdk

I re-boot and get what I got last time. A blue screen of text appears during boot and locks on:
Kernal panic: No init found. Try passing init= option to kernal.

To recover, I re-boot and at the boot options select: linux-nonfb (not sure what this is) that allows me in. I switch my main bootlogin back to /linux (/boot/vmlinuz) .

And here I am. I feel so darn close, yet so far away.

Do you have MSN messenger or any other messenger? If so post it for me.

Nope, no messenger. I have Yahoo that I haven't been able to configure outgoing chat (incoming is fine), due to my router.

Tell you what, do this:

Then do this:
[quote]cd /usr/src
**"Change Directory To /usr/src"**

ls -alc
**"check for symlink (ex. /usr/src/linux->/usr/src/linux-2.4.18)"**
**"also note since its being ask recently, that if there is no symlink"**
**"then move on to the untarring of the kernel"**

file linux
**"double check with this command (output ex.) linux: symbolic link to linux-2.4.18-14"**

rm linux
**"remove symlink"**

tar -zxvf linux-x.x.x.tar.gz
**"unpack the tarball (new kernel)"**

ln -s /usr/src/linux-x.x.x /usr/src/linux
**"make a new link to the new kernel"**

cd linux
**"type this to change to the directory"**

----------------------------
Now Comes The Fun Part~!
----------------------------
make mrproper
**"this removes the current .config and other files"**

cp /usr/src/linux-2.4.x/.config /usr/src/linux
***this is if you want to use your old config***

make menuconfig
**"for ncurses GUI in the terminal"**

make bzImage
**"to make the kernel image (compile and creates compressed image of kernel)"**

make modules
**"compile your selected modules"**

make modules_install
**"to install newly compile modules (installs to /lib/modules/linux.x.x.x)"**

Remove the following links:
rm -rf /boot/System.map
rm -rf /boot/vmlinuz

Then copy the newly created kernel and system.map to /boot
cp /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-x.x.x
cp /usr/src/linux/System.map /boot/System.map-x.x.x

Make the new links:
ln -s /boot/vmlinuz-x.x.x /boot/vmlinuz
ln -s /boot/System.map-x.x.x /boot/System.map

Next remove existing initrd.img file:
rm -rf /boot/initrd.x.x.x.img

..And create the new one:
/sbin/mkinitrd /boot/initrd-x.x.x.img x.x.x
(Note: )
The last set of x.x.x is the eqivalent to your new kernel version and it looks to /lib/modules for that version.[quote] -DrOzz

Then update lilo, and you will have a fully functional, customized 2.6.4-1kernel.

In the end, I took the wusses way out. I stuck back in my discs and when it asked me whether I wanted to "install" or "upgrade," I took upgrade, hoped it wouldn't erase a number of my files and crossed my fingers.

When I rebooted, I was still in 2.4 kernel. But, a 2.6.3-4 login option had been added, which I've now defaulted to. So, I'm back to 2.6.3 and can now focus on some of the more tedious problems at the bottom of this learning curve called Linux.

Thanks for all your help!!

Rory