I've been getting all of the updates recently since I got all of Mandrake set up and touched up to how I want it. I've got all of them except two now. They are both kernel packages. I'm using the built in rpm update thing with Mandrake Control Center, and am wondering what those two are.

Do they actually install a new kernel? I thought you had to manually configure the kernel etc, and these are rpm's (I believe), and would automatically install, wouldn't they?

As new kernel updates come out, Mandrake (and most other distros) compile binary files to be distributed as updates. Just as there was a compiled kernel on the install disc, they can send you one through the update system.

Yes, they actually install a new kernel, and set-up the boot-loader so that it is bootable. It usually leaves your old kernel as a fall-back so you can boot to it if the new one doesn't work for some reason.

The kernel they supply is configured to support a ton of hardware that you don't have. The bigger the kernel is, the slower it runs. That's why people eventually compile their own for the specific hardware on their system. After you remove all the extra hardware support you'll never use, you make the kernel smaller, more efficient, and there-by, a bit faster.

Thanks for the info. I was kind of clueless on that one, because I had only known about compiling your own etc, but I'm still unsure how to and probably will try to do it sometime soon. Been trying to find kind of a step by step instruction as for how to but haven't really been able to find it. The only one I've found seemed kind of sketchy.

Do you know any links to kind of a step by step way? Wouldn't hurt to go ahead and see if I can get it running than as is. Mandrake's been running great so far, haven't had any *real* problems.

Having a good Linux experience so far. Getting Debian set up on another machine so I can actually start testing. The computer I'm on now is a dual boot and not good to mess with a lot because I don't want to mess anything up on here. Expensive machine :/

Not sure about Mandy or Deb, but RedHat supplies the config file they used to compile the kernel they supply. It makes rolling your own a whole lot easier... You start with a config that you know works, and pare out the hardware you know you don't have. Compile and test it. Then, go back to your config and pare it down some more. Compile and test it. Keep doing that until you have it down as far as you can get it. If a new kernel update comes along, patch it in and compile again.

I've not really seen a good how-to. The basics are...

make menuconfig (or xconfig or oldconfig)
make dep
make bzImage
make modules
make modules_install
make install