I plan to wipe my existing install of Slack 11 + custom 2.6 kernel and start again for various reasons.. Anyway - what I want is Slack 11 with a customised kernel 2.6.17. Am I best installing bare.i kernel with my new install then loading 2.6.17 source to build my custom kernel or huge.26 from the install and then loading the source to rebuild ? Hope that makes sense !! As I understand it these are my options :
1) Install Slack 11 with huge.26,install 2.6 modules and source from /extra disk 2, menuconfig 2.6 source and install it, make 2.6 modules and install .... or
2) Install Slack 11 with bare.i,install 2.6 modules and source from /extra disk 2, menuconfig 2.6 source and install it, make 2.6 modules and install.

Am I getting the procedures right ? Which would be the most efficient way of doing this ?

I have read loads of info about kernel building but none seems to exactly apply to my desired setup. I have only being using Slack/Linux for about a month so please excuse me if this is a dumb question... I have had a wonderful amount of free advice from people on this forum and I really appreciate it - thankyou patient people. Hopefully soon I will be able to help someone as green as me !

I like the 2)nd approach. if you untar the source in
/testing/source/linux-2.6.18 and follow the README
you should not have any problems. You might even save
one or two steps from your suggested procedure.

But.

Kernel Panic might arise due to the leaner default
configuration of the source kernel. If so.
Read this thread and its links. It may help.

-W

OK - just to be clear on this - is this what I do..????

Install Slackware from scratch to PC with bare.i kernel
Install 2.6.17 source to some directory from /extra disk 2 using installpkg
Install 2.6..17 modules to disk from /extra disk 2 using installpkg (I take it these are the binaries)
Run make menuconfig on 2.6.17 source
Run make bzImage on 2.6.17 source
Run make modules on 2.6.17 source ( I take it this compiles the 2.6 I have set to be module in menuconfig)
Install (cp to /boot) kernel,map and config files for 2.6.17
Run make modules on 2.6.17 source
Run make module_install on the source to install newly compiled modules
edit lilo.conf
run lilo
alter rc.modules to point to 2.6.17 binary directory. (Rather that 2.4)
reboot
pray !!!
Is this right ??

Jeez this is confusing... -

No, that's not right. You just made sort of an LFS out of
Slackware. *laughs*.

No really. The Slack community can give you many ways to
install, upgrade, compile your kernel. The way suggested
by installation procedure is the best I've seen so far.

1) When installing, Salckware is going to ask you to select
a kernel. If is 2.6.17 you want, select test26.s (if I recall
correctly), then install the modules binary located at
/extra/linux-2.6.17.13 for that kernel. You are done, you have
upgraded your kernel just that easy, or at least thats the
way I've been doing it and it works just fine.

But. If you want to install the kernel from source

2) --Quote--Mokele-
untar the source in /testing/source/linux-2.6.18 and follow
the README -/Quote-- <- Quote from post #2

(This is the way I prefer) Follow that README and step
by step leaving only whatever is not applicable for you
and you'll be fine. Except, may be for a Kernel panic
that may arise, if so, follow the link at post #2.

Good luck

-W

Personally, I do it this way:

1. During install of Slackware 11, always choose 'huge26.s'
2. After install, mount cd, go to /extra/linux-2.6.17.13 , installpkg *source*tgz, installpkg *module*tgz
3. Then, as 'root', "make menuconfig" (If on cli) or "make xconfig" (If in X)
4. Load the /boot/config file.Don't modify the config yet, but just save it. This will allow you to have a compiled huge26.s kernel, just as it is installed, but in the source directory.
5. In cli, type "make && make modules_install". THIS WILL TAKE AWHILE.
6. Copy .config, System.map and /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage all to /boot as unique names.
7. Modify /etc/lilo.conf to add the new bzImage file, etc. Then run lilo. Reboot. Try new kernel.

Now that you have a complete running huge26.s w/source, minor tweaks will be fast. Just remember to change a little at a time, and try again. After the first compile, minor changes are fast.

Why do I do it this way? The config Pat supplies during the install works, but the 'source' file that gets installed is way too generic for me. As a previous poster said, the config of the 'installpkg kernel-generic-xxxx" is thin, but substituting the install/boot config for the generic gives me a workable kernel.

As I said, after the first compile, tweaks are easy, and quick.

Aha - that is exactly what I did the first time (cwwilson's way ). One more thing , well two actually ! - Do I have to change the symbolic links "linux" and "rc.modules" to point to my 2.6.17 directories ? BTW the reason I am starting again is that after a succesful first compile I did it again and changed lots of things - all hell broke loose so I take your point on small steps !! Thanks a lot guys...

P.S. - where can I find definitive information on exactly what the directory structure is for 11.0 ? I.E. all the source, lib , header dirs etc ?

*If* you installed the source with the 'installpkg' route, no, you do not have to reset the symbolic links.

As for the second area of your question, look at the slackbook. (THE BOOK). Link can be found at www.slackware.com.