ok i am running MDK 9.1 which uses kernel 2.4.21-0.13mdk as most of you know...now my question is...how would i go about downgrading to kernel 2.4.18...
i have the following files....
kernel-2.4.18.8.1mdk-1-3mdk.i586.rpm: md5 OK
kernel-enterprise-2.4.18.8.1mdk-1-3mdk.i586.rpm: md5 OK
kernel-headers-2.4.18-26.1mdk.i586.rpm: md5 OK
kernel-secure-2.4.18.8.1mdk-1-3mdk.i586.rpm: md5 OK
kernel-smp-2.4.18.8.1mdk-1-3mdk.i586.rpm: md5 OK
kernel-source-2.4.18-8.1mdk.i586.rpm: md5 OK

so i would like to have someone tell me if out of them files i have above, do i have all necessary files, and if not which other ones should i get....and of course how do i go about getting this done...

Erm, have you compiled any apps for your install yet? I think some pre-compiled rpm files might be dependant on your kernel version-best to pick the kernel at install and not change/downgrade it.

well this is the thing...i haven't really done anything since putting mdk9.1 on my box...i am trying to get the nvidia drivers to work for my geforce2mx400 card, and i know of people getting them to work when they downgrade to a stable kernel....because the kernel is unstable that comes with mdk9.1....all i know when i try to do a simple rpm -ivh with the kernel header files it just says in conflicts with all kinds of files in the /usr/include folder and it aborts the install....
and just to fill you in, why i am going threw this, is because when i install the nvidia drivers as is, when i type in startx it just hangs at a black screen and you have to reboot with the restart button

Did you edit your XF86Config-4 file according to the README doc? If not, that could be your problem...

Also, instead of using the RPM file (assuming you are using that) use the .run file.

Cool

ok first off, i have no problems with the install of the nvidia drivers...and yes i did edit the XF86Config-4 file...i have added many more options like the nvagp but this is not the problem...the installer runs fine, and i have used the shell script install, and also did try the rpms, but that is not when i am presently working with...i have tried everything, there is even known fixes by setting some things in the bios and whatnot, but again i still have had no luck along with many others.. this is why i am resorting to the downgrading of the kernel because a couple of people have tried downgrading to a stable kernel such as 2.4.18 and have had success...so i have nothing to lose and that is what i wish to try...and that is why i am here trying to find out how i go about this...

Just trying to help you so you don't have to downgrade. That should be the last ditch effort, and I was just making sure it actually was

So...
kernel-source-2.4.18-8.1mdk.i586.rpm
kernel-headers-2.4.18-26.1mdk.i586.rpm
kernel-2.4.18.8.1mdk-1-3mdk.i586.rpm

Should be the only ones you need to do the downgrade. What I suggest is to instead use urpmi to do it:
urpmi kernel-2.4.18
And see if it works. If not, then resort to the standard RPM's.

Cool

well thx for keeping with me here and trying to help me through this, and i did try the command you said and it worked for both the:
kernel-2.4.18.8.1mdk-1-3mdk.i586.rpm
kernel-source-2.4.18-8.1mdk.i586.rpm

but again when i tried it on the following...
kernel-headers-2.4.18-26.1mdk.i586.rpm

its says it conflicts with files in that same directory....
anymore ideas ?

and btw, whats the difference between the way you told me to do it (urpmi) and the way i did it (rpm -ivh) although it didn't help really, i am just curious...

oh and btw i just copied a little section of the conflicting errors...just to show you what it is saying...but again there is alot more than what i am showing i just took a tidbit to give you the idea..

I'm just guessing but I think those errors are because that kernel (2.4.18) was compiled with a different gcc version, an older one, using an older glibc; which (taken for what it's worth) means that it won't work (very well if at all) on a system compiled with new glibc/gcc such as the case with newer mandrake releases.

In a nutshell:
You might have to compile a 2.4.18 kernel yourself. Not a big deal, just not a good thing for a n00b to have to do. I don't know your level of experience so it might not be a big deal for ya.

The difference in:
urpmi linux-2.4.18
And
rpm -ivh filename.rpm
Is that urpmi will take care of figuring out which other files you need Also, it will get the latest files for you (if you setup a mirror in your Mandrake Control Center) for updates.

Cool

well my level of experience isn't all that detailed when it comes to linux, but i would love to know a stepping stone to get me started on how i would go about compiling the kernel myself....i may not have done it before but i would want to know, just to learn and also to try and resolve my problem....and info would be appreciated...

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=49035
There is actually a thread dedicated to this. It's not really slackware specific, but it's posted in the slackware section.

Cool

thx d00d i'll look at it and see if i can grasp it

actually d00d i have one question..i was just looking at my lilo.conf file and at the end it has the entry:

image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-8.1mdk
label=2418-1
root=/dev/hda1
read-only
optional
vga=788
append=" devfs=mount hdd=ide-scsi acpi=off quiet"
initrd=/boot/initrd-2.4.18-8.1mdk.img

does this mean when i installed them other two rpms, that the kernel did install?

It at least means that it properly edited your lilo.conf file. You could test it out, it's possible that NVidia's installer doesn't need the headers file.

Cool

well right now i am following the steps in that post, so i will just finish doing that cause i am almost completly done..just have to wait for the make install to finish, then i have to do the make modules...

make install? I thought that was slack specific. If not, make sure you've backed up your lilo.conf...



Cool