I was previously using linux-2.6.9. Downloaded the source to linux-2.6.10, compiled, did a make, make modules_install and make install and got a new bzImage. How do I reboot using the new kernel image? I tried to change it in /etc/lilo.conf.anaconda, but looks like the kernel version is not picked up from there. Moreover, I dont have /sbin/lilo. How do I go about rebooting using the new kernel.

What distro are your using?

You need to move the newly compiled kernel image into your /boot directory. Then you can boot to the new kernel. You didn't give much information about your system, so if your distro also uses initrd, you will need to get the new initrd and move it in as well.

Your lilo stuff is probably located in the /boot directory, not the /usr/bin or /sbin directories.

If your having problems with lilo, I would suggest moving to grub as it is very easy to use. But if your distro came with lilo, changing may be very involved.

put the kernel image in /boot
change the bootloader configuration file (the one in /boot) to point to the new kernel. If you look at the existing file, the required changes should be obvious.

I am using FC, checked the /boot directory and found config files for the older kernel,but not one for 2.6.10. there is a grub folder and grub.conf has the following content

default=1
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora Core (2.6.10)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.10 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.10.img
title Fedora Core (2.6.9-1.667smp)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-1.667smp ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-1.667smp.img
title Fedora Core-up (2.6.9-1.667)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-1.667 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-1.667.img

But everytime I reboot and do "uname -r", I still get the 2.6.9-1.667smp kernel.

the following files are already in the /boot directory
bzImage
initrd-2.6.10.img
System.map
vmlinuz
config-2.6.9-1.667 initrd-2.6.9-1.667.img System.map-2.6.10 vmlinuz-2.6.10
config-2.6.9-1.667smp initrd-2.6.9-1.667smp.img System.map-2.6.9-1.667 vmlinuz-2.6.9-1.667
grub lost+found System.map-2.6.9-1.667smp vmlinuz-2.6.9-1.667smp

If you're using Fedora you shouldn't have to do anything but tell yum to install the new kernelIt should take care of all of this for you.

Once you move the bzImage (with a new name so you don't overwrite the previous bzImage) into /boot, you need to run mkinitrd to make the new initrd. After that, do as pixellany said, make a new line in /boot/grub/menu.lst that points to the new image and initrd.

The entry in grub.conf (aka sometimes menu.lst) has to match the files in /boot.

You show a file named "vmlinuz" with no version #. There is no corresponding entry in grub.conf--unless some things got run together in your cut and paste.

Wehn booting, do you get a choice of kernels?

the file vmlinuz without a version number is just a symbolic link to vmlinuz-2.6.10

Your problem is with the default=1. To GRUB, this means use the second entry. Here is a guide to using GRUB.

I recommend making two changes to your grub.conf file.

First, change default=1 to default=0.
Second change hiddenmenu to #hiddenmenu.

The second change will give you a menu when you boot from wence to choose the kernel. Very helpful if you plan to compile your own kernel.

In Fedora, make install puts everything where you need it. yum install kernel, if it does anything, installs a kernel from the repository. not the one you just compiled.