I have Slackware 10 with kernel 2.4.26. I would like to either patch the kernel I havel or compile kernel 2.4.29. I've never successfully compiled a kernel, so I'm anticipating problems. If I get a kernel panick when I boot, can I restore my working kernel?

Also, I have the 3 patch files (27, 28, 29) to upgrade my kernel to 2.4.29-can I use these to patch my current installed kernel? If so, how?

Depending on how you set up LILO when installing the kernel, you may or may not be able to boot the old kernel.

It's good practice to keep your existing Linux image in LILO, and add a new one for the new kernel. When you're *certain* that the new kernel is working properly, edit your lilo.conf again, and comment out the original kernel.

I keep the install kernel image in my lilo.conf, but commented out, so that when I update the kernel I just have to uncomment those lines and update my symlinks, instead of creating an entirely new image.

To patch the images in sequence, just use "patch -p1 < patchfile". Do each of them in order, and I don't see any problem with that.

I downloaded the patches to patch my currently installed kernel. How do I install them? I tried this:

bash-2.05b# bzip2 -dc patch-2.4.27.bz2 | patch -p1
can't find file to patch at input line 4
Perhaps you used the wrong -p or --strip option?
The text leading up to this was:
--------------------------
|diff -urN linux-2.4.26/CREDITS linux-2.4.27/CREDITS
|--- linux-2.4.26/CREDITS 2004-04-14 06:05:21.000000000 -0700
|+++ linux-2.4.27/CREDITS 2004-08-07 16:26:04.249330136 -0700
--------------------------
File to patch:

So, where is the file? The directory /usr/src/linux exists but is a link to /usr/src/linux-2.4.26 /boot/vmlinuz doesn't work.

I also tried this:

/usr/src/linux/scripts/patch-kernel linux
usage: patch-kernel [-h] [ sourcedir [ patchdir [ stopversion ] [ -acxx ] ] ]
The source directory defaults to /usr/src/linux, and
the patch directory defaults to the current directory.

The patches were in the current directory. Is the script looking for my currently installed kernel? Where is the kernel file?

if you have trouble with this you CAN get a new copy of the kernel source tree and not have to patch anything..

you just have to browse through the site instead of using the link on the front page.

Is patching your current kernel a lot easier and quicker than compiling a new kernel, or is it basically the same procedure?

it's just more work. ( you patch the source, not the kernel you've got, and then you compile again)

the easy way is to download the new full sources, and use your config-file of your " old " kernel.
( just copy that file to " .config " in the /usr/src/linux-2.4.29 dir.)

then compile& install it.

egag

That's what I was starting to think-thanks for the confirmation! Looks like I've got some reading to do on 'How to build the Kernel' before I start this.