Kernel discription Confusion? Also confused over cute names for packages/distros...
 

I have many questions, and not sure where to start.

So, I have become confused over ther way people use cute names to discribe, either a package, distro or Kernel images etc.
I suppose this gets clearer with experience but I not see it from the right angle yet.

I have kernel images 2.4.18-686 and one called 2.4.18-bf24
installed in /usr/scr. (I have managed to config lilo to boot from both, i don't get WHAT i did, but following HOWTO's etc. I do know HOW i did it)
(I config. lilo by adding a line initrd=yes to configure a ramdisk? Boots to desktop.)

So what I want to know here is, What is the difference between a 'Kernel Image' 'Kernel Source' 'Kernel image source 'linuz' 'linuz.old' which appear on root after config. of lilo.

Also. If I try to install a Kernel image for Pentium4 from package files, it installs image 2.4.18-686?
Is this normal or a bad package? I would think it should look like 2.4.18-p4?
What does -bf24 mean in the other image discriptor?

Also. Don't understand .tar .gz .tar.gz and .tgz

.tar extention means, Archived with TARBALLED format? But no compression?

.gz means, Gzipped?

.tar.gz means, Archived files, and compressed with GZIP format?

All help apprectiated. ~DUD~

Welcome to the World of Linux.

Your questions are valid but you need to specifiy what distribution you're using so distro-specific gurus can help you with the kernel questions.

You got the tar and gz extensions on the nose. tgz is shorthand for .tar.gz, e.g. file.tar.gz and file.tgz are the same thing.

It will become clear with experience.

Have fun.

What distro are you using?

The Kernel Image is the binary version of the kernel that has been compiled from the Kernel Source. The Kernel Source is written in C and some Assembler, when you compile it you get an executable Kernel Image. I think "linuz" is a compressed kernel image.

I think that that kernel image (2.4.18-686) is correct for a P4. I think P4 is often referred to as a 686? Dont worry about this though.

As for archive formats:
*TAR is a Tape ARchive. It was originally designed to place files contiguously to be written to a tape.
*Gzip is similar to Zip as used on Windows.
*Tarballs are compressed tar archives. Tar does not compress, and Gzip can only zip a single file. Therefore, we tar a group of files, and gzip the tar archive.

I hope this helps
--Ian

Kernel versions. Questions on loading Modules and compiling new kernel.
 

[QUOTE=IBall]What distro are you using?

Debian/woody/3.0
Yes sorry, I knew I should have put that.

>The Kernel Image is the binary:eek: version of the kernel >that has been compiled from the Kernel Source.

>I think that that kernel image (2.4.18-686) is correct for
>a P4.

I looked and all the images for P4 end in -686 so I guess this is the optimzed P4.

> *Gzip is similar to Zip as used on Windows.

Thanks for that. Just not used to seeing 2 extentions on a file. :O

Obviosly the Kernels I have installed have not been compiled with my hardware in mind. What approach is best here?
Do I try to compile a kernel with drivers? Or are module drivers as good?

I have run Modconf which 'Installs' the modules, what does it install them into? It can't install them too the Kernel image, so the driver mods. get registerd somewhere and loaded at startup? How does it do this? (roughly)

I believe modules are just as good because the kernel is more efficient this way. But, I think a new kernel with Nividia/AGP drivers will give me native acceleration? the PCI/AGP bus is failing here, Bad. Only have Vesa video in X.

Also. To compile a kernel, first i need to type 'make xmenuconfig' or 'make menuconfig' ?
I have 'make' but no make files for menuconfig or making a new kernel. Is something missing here? Should I be looking for a package that will make new kernels? Or is 'make menuconfig' a Redhat thing?

I guess I ultimatly want this OS to run like windowz, With as much of my hardware supported in one kernel as possible.
I have 90% of the hardware detecting one way or another, but hardly any of it is useable. ALSA wont load a driver but other apps (ALSActl) have produced audio from the soundcard.

Im finding this incredibly complex.

Lots more questions.

Thanks for your help.

~Snaffta~

running
Debian/woody 3.0 Kernel 2.4.18-686

Debian Woody is getting incredibly old now - even its successor (Sarge) is getting long in the tooth now (for desktop use). Unless there is a specific reason to be running Woody, I suggest upgrading at least to Sarge (Stable) or Etch (Testing).

In case you are unclear on this, Debian has three "flavours" at any one time - Stable, Testing and Unstable. Stable is currently v3.1 (Sarge). The next stable version will be Etch, which is currently Testing.

You should have better success in terms of hardware detection with a newer distro.

--Ian