it is save to recompile
 

i have recompiled kernel-2.4.22 and it has run with no error and fine now.
this compilation is my 1st sucessful compilation and it dont really set the devices that very much coz i just coppied the default config-2.4.20-8 from /boot and load it into make xconfig.
since this compilation make a /lib/modules/2.4.22 and i know that it is modules that can be loaded by kernel-2.4.22.
now i would like to compile another one that would have all those devices that i want so can i boot my new kernel that is kernel-2.4.22 and recompile kernel-2.4.22 from the source.
will this time when i make modules_install will destroy my current loaded kernel modules folder? or i can just renamed /lib/modules/2.4.22 to somethieng like 2.4.22BK and the recompile under the same version of kernel and make modules_install?

what is the safest way to recompile the same version of kernel?

I give them separate petnames ;)
third line in the Makefile in the directory where you untarred the source ... just add a suffix

this way you're also 100% sure it's your new kernel you're running when you do uname -r