Hi,

I am running Slackware 9.1 (kernel 2.4), with the main functions working. I wanted to get my tv-card working which is SAA7934 based, so I decided to compile a kernel 2.6.9.

My first attempt to select all configuration options by hand failed (I think it crashes while attempting something with dma on my IDE drives). My next attempt was to use make defconfig, which also failed. Then finally I copied the .config from thge 2.4 kernel to the 2.6 source and did make oldconfig + simply accepted the defaults for almost any question asked. (That was probably way too much for me, because I saw it compile things like IPv6 which I even though I declined, but it being 3am by then I didn't care too much).

Anyway booting with this last kernel worked and brought me to the kdm login screen. However, It seems I have no mouse support ! I will have a look at my logs and config again when I'll have more time and be more awake, but I have a hunch that this is not a kernel problem anymore.
I have read somewhere that mice are supported though /dev/mice in 2.6 and through /dev/mouse in 2.4.
Is this true, and if so, does the kernel create the missing /dev/mice entry ? If it doesn't, how will I ever know what other things the new kernel will need, because there may be more changes like that which I am not aware of.

Secondly (and coming to the subject in the title), I adapted grub to be able to start either the 2.4 kernel or the 2.6 kernel, but both use basically the same distribution on the same root. I suspect however, that there may be certain config files that may need to be different for either 2.4 or 2.6 support.
E.g. XF86Config refers to /dev/mouse, so I should have an alternative XF86config that points to /dev/mice ? Kernel 2.4 uses OSS, and kernel 2.6 uses alsa, so I need different entries in modules.conf ? /usr/src/linux should be a symlink to /usr/src/linux-2.4 while running 2.4 and a symlink to /usr/src/linux-2.6 while running 2.6 ?

So basically my question is: now that I have a bootable 2.6 kernel, what is the best startegy to cleanly allow 2.4 and 2.6 to coexist (and to gradually convert and test the 2.6 features ?

when i boot i can choose between 2.4.26 , 2.6.9, and 2.6.9.test to run.
they all work with the same X-config-file. ( using Slack10, but also 9.1 should work.)

when you use your old (2.4....) config-file as a starting point, don't make an oldconfig,
use " make xconfig " (GUI ) and take a good look at all the settings. ( and change it to your needs )
this gui will also give additional info and sometimes advice on the settings.

egag