How does /etc/resolv.conf look like?

I figured you wont need to :
cp -L /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/mdv2007/etc/resolv.conf

since that should already be there from the original install

Yeah. Did that, i.e. checked resolv.conf was identical before and after chroot-ing.
Have just downloaded 2.6.20 rpm via XP and written to ext3 '/' partition. Will try to install either tonight or tomorrow. More later (have to earn some ££s )

Two steps forward, one back.
I downloaded and put a kernel 2.6.20 rpm in /dev/sda4/tmp.
When I run urpmi on it and bypass check warnings the 'build' stops because it cannot find a valid boot file/directory.

My /grub directory is in its own /boot partition: /dev/sda7

So I did thisWell, of course it failed finding /mnt/mdv2007boot, the only directories in partition /boot are grub, etc.
So I have misunderstood mount -o bind

So how do I tell urpmi that my /boot directory is actually /mnt/mdv2007boot?

You need to do (with the /boot partition):

sh-3.1# mkdir /mnt/mdv2007
sh-3.1# mount /dev/sda4 /mnt/mdv2007
sh-3.1# mount /dev/sda7 /mnt/mdv2007/boot

when you mount mdv2007 there should be a /mdv2007/boot there already - all you need to do is mount it.
and then:

sh-3.1# mount -t proc none /mnt/mdv2007/proc
sh-3.1# mount -o bind /dev /mnt/mdv2007/dev

and after that chroot.

Yes there is a /mnt/mdv2007/boot directory but it's empty. You are saying that
sh-3.1# mount /dev/sda7 /mnt/mdv2007/boot
overrides/bypasses the original (empty) /boot directory?
Of course I'll try tomorrow anyway but am interested

About to give up.
I got /boot partition to mount OK but now when I urpmi the new kernel 2.6.20 it trashes out with a message about not finding /boot/vmlinuz.
Except /boot/vmlinuz is there, at least a symlink to a kernel 2.6.20 is there _and_ the symlinked file is there also.
I'm really p*ss*d off about this especially since bl**dy XP ran the new hardware without a hitch.

What chance has LINUX against Windoze got when it refuses to load just because there are some hardware issues that cannot be resolved without a lot of grief.

Thanks guys for your input, at least I know the learning curve is still on the steep bit and I have learned something

-how about reinstaling MDV without formating ?

Then you would have a new system, without loosing your datas ?

(it worked for me with Blag, based on FC5, various times...)