I followed 2 different guides for compiling and installing the new kernel that I found on this site and then I tried it a 3rd way using a guide I found elsewhere.

No matter what I do I end up with the same problem.

When I try to boot into the new 2.6.20 kernel, I get the "Loading vmlinux............................"

then the screen goes black, the caps lock light flashes on and off at slow intervals but thats it.

I'm able to power off and boot back into the old kernel (2.4.33.3 first, then later 2.6.18 that comes with slackware 11.0) just fine.

What am I doing wrong?

Please let me know what further info I can included here to help troubleshoot.

Try using the .config from the slackware 2.6.18 kernel (copy it into the source directory of the new kernel, and run 'make oldconfig', then compile). If that works then you can start modifying the .config and recompile again and again until you have it like you want it.

It's likely that you made some mistake along the way ... this way it should definitely work. Also, check the slackbook, I did what is says and it has never failed me. (actually I now run make as regular user and make install as root to avoid possible problems)

Give output of
ls /boot/
cat /etc/lilo.conf

You have probably not done "make bzImage" and copied it.


Also , tell us what you did while recompiling the kernel. All the steps, exactly!

'make bzimage' has been unecessary for quite a long time. 'make' builds bzimage.

Most likely your kernel config is incorrect.

I've had the same problem. I configured kernel v2.6.20. installed it and the screen was vlack. Then I copied the .config file from my older 2.6.14 kernel, and in Device Drivers-->Graphics support the Option "VESA VGA graphics support" appeared after "VGA 16-color graphics support". It wasn't there before, don't know why

So I think that you just have no VESA Framebuffer compiled in your kernel.

Can you access your machine via ssh after a black screen boot? Mine went up correctly.

HTH