New Kernel
 

I am thinking of a new kernel. I would like to know what would be easier to install the 2.6.17.13 kernel from /extra on the installation disk or download the kernel and follow Shilos how i do it post.

Does using the tgz package do all the configuration itself or does it merely install the kernel for configuration manually. And which one should I use. Why would I use one over another.

Forgive my ignorance, I have installed a kernel before using shilos excellent post but on another machine with slack 10.2.

The packaged one on the CD is easier but you would eventually want to streamline your kernel to suit your system.
If you do the package, make sure you install both the kernel and the modules. NOT the headers, based on my own experiences.
You might also want to edit your lilo.conf so that you could boot into the other 2.4.xxx kernel, as the package installation process will not do that for you.

How do you install from CD? What are the steps?

Unless you have no network connectivity, I recommend downloading slackpkg from here, and using that to install official packages, and to keep a system in sync.

do "installpkg slackpkg-2.09-noarch-1.tgz", and then open up your favorite text editor and uncomment ONE mirror from the list in "/etc/slackpkg/mirrors".

Then do "slackpkg update", and "slackpkg upgrade-all"

and then do "slackpkg search kernel" pick whatever kernel you need, and install it with "slackpkg install kernel-generic-2.6.17.13-i486-1" for an example. Once installed just edit Lilo or GRUB and add the new kernel. It will automatically set everything else up for you. You should also install the corresponding modules, headers, and source packages.

I found the upgrade from 2.4.33.3 kernel to the 2.6.17.13 kernel was relatively straight forward.

1. Locate and print off a copy of README.initrd.
2. Install 2.6.17.13 kernel and kernel module packages. (Pat V. recommends that the 2.4.33.3 kernel headers be retained, unless you find a pressing need to do otherwise.)
3. Follow the instructions in README.initrd.
4. Check that the symlink /etc/rc.d/rc.modules points to your rc.modules-2.6.17.13 (Not necessary for booting, but is a convenience for editing)
5. Edit the rc.modules to suit your hardware if required.
6. Make sure that you have udev-0.97 installed.
7. Make /etc/rc.d/rc.hotplug non-executable.
8. Make /etc/rc.d/rc.udev executable.

A couple of finer points that I came across were:
a) I have a PS2 mouse. I needed to comment out the mouse setup in my Xorg.conf and change to Auto for correct mouse operation in X.
b) I needed to add my users to the tty group so that they had appropriate permissions for some basic system operations (such as opening a shell).
c) Where I had append="hdc=ide-scsi" in /etc/lilo.conf I changed to append="hdc=ide-cd" to support my CD-RW.

allend says
Okay, how do I retain the headers, exactly.

By not installing the 2.6.17.13 headers.

okay, stuck here, choose to install kernel from /extra on the cd, following the instructions as per README.initrd.

Where do I get mkinitrd-1.0.1-i486-1.tgz package or equivalent..cant find it in /extra or sclackware disc 2.

run the following in the shell...
any ideas?

What is your question? It appears you have mkinitrd installed (albeit a newer build) and should be good to go making your initrd file per the instructions in the README.

Got mkinitrd-1.0.1-i486-3 from disk 1...:)

Just install the kernel and the modules. Reboot and you should be fine. I was.

okay, installed the packages except headers :)

Edited lilo.conf to include both kernels.

run /sbin/lilo

On reboot still only getting the choice of one kernel, 2.4.33.3

Contents of lilo...
Anybody any idea why I am getting only the 2.4.33.3 Kernel as a choice on reboot...

whats the output when you run lilo, you should get
added linux2433 *
added lnx262723

if not something is not happening right when you run lilo

I get...

/sbin/lilo
Added Linux24333 *
Added Lnx261713

Still only getting the one choice (: