I'm currently still using 9.1 with 2.4.22. As soon as I get it downloaded, I'll be upgrading to 10, which has the choice of 2.4.26 or 2.6.7.

So I'll have three kernels - the current 2.4 one that I know works, the new 2.4 that I hope works, and the 2.6 that I'll have a play around with.

I've compiled custom kernels, so I'm not worried about that part. But the System.map file I'm still not sure of.

Am I right in thinking that if I compiled all three kernels and called them, say, vmlinuz-old, vmlinuz-new, and vmlinuz-test, I should also have System.map-old, System.map-new, and System.map-test?

Or is it simpler/harder than that?

Hi ,
there was a previous thread here on LQ about this issue.

Shamelessly stolen from the mentioned thread. Originally by gnashley:
In other words, backup it or dont. I personally have never even thought about the file when upgrading my kernel.

Hope this helps,
- drowstar

so long as you link the files correctly and make the neccessary changes in lilo then there is not a problem with that, i currently have vmlinuz.old vmlinuz and vmlinuz.dev same with the Systemmaps

I was going to start a new thread (cause I finally got my 2.6.7 kernel working - no sound, no pcmcia though) and this thread answered the first part of my question. My attempt is to ask a follow up question, not change the topic.

I can currently boot to vmlinuz-2.4.22 (with matching config and System.map) or vmlinuz-2.6.7 (with matching config and System.map) Now that I know, thanks to this thread, that I don't have to mess with the 'vmlinuz', config, and System.map links, it will be much easiier. I am planning on making a vmlinuz-2.6.7a, vmlinuz-2.6.7b, and so on in hopes to resolve my problems.

My follow up question is the series of commands when changing my 2.6.7 kernel.

In order, all I have to do now is:
(in /usr/src/linux-2.6.7/)
make menuconfig (make my changes I want)
make bzImage
make modules
make modules_install

then copy the 3 files to /boot, rename, lilo - done.

IS THIS CORRECT?
It will not adversley effect my existing/working vmlinuz-2.6.7 by running "make modules" or "make modules_install"?

I just want to be certain before I try it. thanks in advance.

Hi tw001_tw,

In order, all I have to do now is:
(in /usr/src/linux-2.6.7/)
make menuconfig (make my changes I want)
make bzImage
make modules
make modules_install
then copy the 3 files to /boot, rename, lilo - done.

Yes, as long as you edit your lilo.conf to reflect the new kernels you installed before running lilo (the "make install" command will attempt to do that, but in my experience you better do it yourself)
This is how I do it. Works nicely (and saves you the bzImage and modules step):
make menuconfig
make
make modules_install
then copy arch/<your arch>/boot/bzImage to /boot/somename
edit lilo.conf (add a section for any new kernel you plan to use, this is important. Make sure you copy sections not replace them, you may render your boot process unusable. Thats kinda hard to fix.)
lilo

It will not adversley effect my existing/working vmlinuz-2.6.7 by running "make modules" or "make modules_install"?
No, it will not, because modules_install creates new folders in /lib/modules/<kernelname+version>/ (i.e. a new folder for any kernel you install. Check the name of the running kernel with "uname -r".)

By the way, have you tried copying the ".config" file from an old kernel source directory to the new one instead of running "make menuconfig"? If you configured a 2.4 kernel for your needs before, this may save you some figuring out what you need to do to get your stuff working.

Good luck,
- drowstar

drownstar,

Thanks a lot for the advice... I did use my old config (2.4.26) as a starting point for building the 2.6.7. Took a week or so to resolve the dreaded no video out of X problem, but now that that is resolved, onto other problems.

This is one of the reasons I like slackware so much, such a chance to learn. Although my Suse is easy to setup, it keeps me out of the internal workings - maybe thats a good thing though!

Anyway, thanks again - tw