I am installing the 2.6.7 kernel from the Slack 10 cd #2, I followed the directions in the readme.initrd, but am confused about the lilo part. My current lilo.conf says this for the linux part...
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hdb1
label = Linux
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

Should I edit it to look like this ?....
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hdb1
label = Linux
read-only

image = /boot/vmlinuz-generic-2.6.7
initrd = /boot/initrd.gz
root = /dev/hdb1
label = Linux267
read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

Sorry for such a dumb question, but I am a nOOb at this

Yes, that will work, assuming you actually have the vmlinuz-generic-2.6.7 in your /boot. Also, make sure once you update lilo.conf to run /sbin/lilo

There's no need to ever apologize for asking a question. Ever.

Okay, in Slackware the kernels are going to reside in /boot. I have never installed a kernel from binary, I prefer to compile my own, but if you take a peak inside /boot there should be the, from your lilo.conf, files "vmlinuz" and "vmlinuz-generic-2.6.7". These are your kernel binaries.

Assuming the two kernels are in /boot and you want to boot into 2.6.7 first upon a restart you'll need to edit your lilo so that it looks like so
( If you don't understand what all of that means I encourage you to read the lilo.conf man page. ) Now, as root, you'll reinstall lilo to your MBR by simply typing "lilo". Then reboot and that should be it.

Hope that helps. Please tell me if it does. It's nice to know if problems have been solved.

OK, I did all that, and my 2.6.7 kernel boots up just fine, but when KDE loaded some window popped up with an error saying this...
Sound server information message
Error while initializing sound driver
Device /dev/dsp can't be opened (no such file or directory)
The sound device will continue, using the null output device

What's up with that and how do I fix it? Do I have to use installpkg and install the alsa stuff from the cd #2 in the same folder as the 2.6.7 kernel stuff, or should I just use swaret and comment out my exclude=alsa?

Also some shredder config file got placed on my desktop, and some KGpg encryption tool ran and asked me to create a password, what are these all about?

The reason I installed the 2.6.7 kernel was so I can install dropline with hopes of getting sound working since I cannot get it working in KDE 3.3

I should first explain that I don't use KDE or swaret. I do nearly everything by hand, whether it be compiling packages from source or editing my own config files. That means I use fluxbox ( in fact I'm one of those creepy guys that would dump guis all together if it weren't for the internet being graphical ) and have serious misgivings about package manegment on Slack.

Maybe that makes me old fashioned and crotchety, I don't know. ( But how can a 17 year old be either of those things? )

In the 2.6 kernels sound is handled differently from the 2.4s. That is, Alsa is built into the 2.6 series whereas in the 2.4s it's outside, as you already know. Now I don't know if KDE handles your sound via something like esd ( which I think is a gnome thing, but you get the idea ) but it sort of seems like A) the kernel that Patrick compiled doesn't have support for your sound card or B) KDE doesn't like the way the 2.6 kerenels handle sound. If B) then I have no idea, as I don't use KDE.

Someone might have had this problem and know a solution, but I would say that it'd just be easier to compile your own kernel. ( Especially if you've got some weird soundcard that doesn't make its way into the default Slack kernel ) Your kernel will run faster, be tailored to your hardware, and have that delightful new kernel smell. You can download the sources at kernel.org and read about how to compile the thing here . If you decide to compile your own and run into any problems ask them here, as opposed to in the thread I linked you to.

I promise you'll be happy with compiling your own kernel.

But if all you're doing is trying to get sound working this may be a bit overkill. Why do you think using a different Windows Manager will cure your soundcard woes?

I tried following that thread for kernel how-to once before, and could not even get either kernel to boot, thus reinstalling Slack 10. I wish it were easier. I think what really screwed me up was editing the lilo.conf and Makefile from the beginning of the whole process, and how do I extract the downloaded kernel to /usr/source?

There should have been no reason to reinstall Slack. You should keep the old kernel around so that you can boot into it in case the new kernel doesn't work. That's all in the thread I linked to earlier.

How easy do you want it to be? It's pretty simple now if you just read the documentation. It's intimidating, yeah, but difficult not so much. All you need to know is your hardware and realize that it's a bad idea to twiddle with stuff if you're not sure the consequences of twiddling.

If you'd like to try and compile your own kernel we'll, of course, help you. If that's not real time enough you can always instant message me at either AIM:goofyheadedpunk or JABBER:goofyheadedpunk@jabber.org. I'd be glad to help you out like that if you want.