My question is when I compile 2.4.19 in Mandrake which is using a 2.4.18 variant I think, will I loose all of the support for my hardware, what effect does compiling a kernel have on Mandrake? Also the reason that I am compiling this kernel is that when Mandrake installs it leaves the usr/src/linux file structure empty, as in there is not a linux folder. I need these files because I have the linux drivers from linksys for the wireless usb, w-lan something or another, and to install these it needs all of the files in the linux folder that is not there.
Thanks in advance,
Ben

well if you do it correctly then you will not notice a single difference, normally you can just use the older kernels config file, which will typically be in /boot/config-2.4.18-6mdk or something similar. the reason you have nothing in /usr/src/linux is that you have only installed the kernel binaries, not the kernel-source package, install that rpm and BEHOLD!!!!

Ahhh, thank you. I knew there had to be a way to get that source in there.
Thanks Ben