What the heck am I doing wrong?!

I am using the 2.6.0 kernel guide by DaOne command by command. I'll start with what I have here, and what I'm trying to achieve.

Laptop, with slackware 9.1, with the 2.4.22 kernel. I would like to upgrade to the 2.6.0 kernel.

Here are the step's I am using. Download linux-2.6.0.tar.gz, to my home directory.
Now I need to be root to move this tar file to /usr/src...........so I become root, move it, then cd to /usr/src.
I extract it as root with: tar zxvf linux-2.6.0.tar.gz.

Then I open my lilo.conf with: nano /etc/lilo.conf..........add this:

image = /boot/vmlinuz.old
root = /dev/hda5
label = Slack.old
read-only save that, then open Makefile with nano:

nano /usr/src/linux-2.6.0/Makefile........uncomment line 450

export INSTALL_PATH=/boot

I'm already in /usr/src......so now I: rm -f linux, ln -s linux-2.6.0 linux, cd into linux,
make mrproper
Then I: cp /usr/src/linux-2.4.22/.config /usr/src/linux

then: make menuconfig
exit and save my changes
make
now this part confuses me. I am already root, so why the su -c infront of the make modules_install?
so I do: su -c make modules_install
make install.......restart to nothing.
When I say nothing, I don't mean being able to log on, and startx blind. I mean nothing.

Yesterday at one point at least I could boot. Everything seemed to work fine, except I could not get my usb printer, or my usb cd-rw to work. I tried many time's to compile it with no success, so last night I re-installed again with the adaptec.s kernel. Both printer, and burner are seen right away as alway's with that kernel.

Since I started trying to upgrade to 2.6.0, never has lsmod spit me back one module?
I'm ashamed to admit this, but after 33 tries and still no luck, I really must be doing something wrong.

someone pleeease steer me in the right direction.

chopp

Relax. Have a beer. Then read this:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=73436

Keep at it!

After you re-boot and select your new kernel, does the display go black ?

Actually it's black, with a little dust.

well that's the third kernel guide I've tried without success. I get to where I'm supposed to delete /boot/initrd.img and there is no such file. Ok so I skip that step, and try to make a new one. /sbin/mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.6.0.img 2.6.0........and it kick's me upside the head again with: /sbin/mkinitrd No such file or directory. Seem's like this has happened to more than just myself, but no one has answered why.

This is starting to really suck. Why does there seem to be so many opinion's about what is the proper procedure on how to do this.

Someone answer me this. If you copy your .config from your present kernel directory, to /linux, and then do a "make oldconfig".....changed nothing for module's or anything, would'nt you have an updated kernel with the exact same module's and everything else?

chopp

Have you tried installing the latest module-init-tools.

I had it installed, along with all the latest alsa file's. I tried a few compile's, then re-installed last night. Didn't seem to make a difference either way.

chopp

OK, I had the black screen problem, I re-compiled the kernel, without using the old config, and that seemed to work for me,

When i copied the old config to the new kernel directory and run xconfig, i noticed that every option was enabled ?

Try compiling your kernel from scratch. Im sure your problem is the old config,

well I'm trying once again. 2.6.2 is compiling as I type. I did not use my old config.

Hopefully thing's will go better this time round.

chopp

in page 2 under the "compiling 2.6 kernel" thread.. it says, to avoid blank screen, make sure:
Device Drivers ==> Graphics support ===> [*] support frame buffer[*] vesa vga graphics support
Console display driver support ===>[*] video mode selection support
<*> Framebuffer Console support <-- make sure its * not M... so easy to forget[*] select compiled-in fonts[*] vga 8x8 font[*] vga 8x16 font
Logo configuration ==>[*] to everything


cant actually remember whats on page 2.. but im sure that will get you to the booting stage, not the blank screen with dust. copying your old .config seems to be useless.. the reason you want to compile a new kernel is to use only the stuff you want so if all is enabled then why do you want to upgrade a kernel with thesame features? good luck.. i manage to fix mine after 28 tries... so 33 is not that bad.. heh

also you might want to read every post in the "kernel 2.6 compile guide" thread.. there are some usefull tips.

before you compile:
cd /boot
cp vmlinuz-ide-2.4.22 vmlinuz-bak-2.4.22
vi /etc/lilo.conf
#######add an entry of you vmlinuz-bak-2.4.22 here
image = /boot/vmlinuz-bak-2.4.22
root = /dev/hdaN # where N in hdaN is the number of your roots dir.
label = FailSafe
read-only
#######

that way.. even if you screwup 2.6 kernel you still have a back up and dont need to reinstall.
(note: you might not be using vmlinuz-ide-2.4.22 maybe its something else.. just change it to what your using.)
make sure you run lilo before you restart

Finally! a shiny new 2.6.4 kernel.

This would have happened about 35 compile's ago if I would have been using the right version of module-init-tool's.

I installed module-init-tools-3.0-i486-1 from slack packages, and my next compile went like a dream.

Even the framebuffer console work's. I am getting a couple error's though. Someone know what these might be all about?

mtrr: 0xfd000000,0x400000 overlaps existing 0xfd000000,0x200000
atkbd.c: Unknown key released (translated set 2, code 0x7a on isa0060/serio0).
atkbd.c: This is an XFree86 bug. It shouldn't access hardware directly.
atkbd.c: Unknown key released (translated set 2, code 0x7a on isa0060/serio0).
atkbd.c: This is an XFree86 bug. It shouldn't access hardware directly.

The other is an alsa issue. I am going to try to re-install it and see what happen's.


thank's to everyone that has helped thus far. Much appreciated

chopp