Upgrading stock 2.4.22 kernel to 2.5.x then to 2.6.6 with existing stock .config file
 

Is there anyway to do that so I can make sure that it boots when I gut it up to 2.6.6?

just keep the 2.4.22 around, you can boot back into 2.4.22 if your 2.6.6 fails.

Ditto.

Why do it such a roundabout way? Since 2.5.x is a development branch anyway, it's possible you'd have more problems with it than the stable 2.6.x series.

Just don't reboot 'til you see lilo accept your settings graciously ;) And keep a boot disk for your old kernel handy, of course.

If you've recompiled your kernel previously, you can still take the old .config and dump it into the new source directory. It'll pick up your old options, while still prompting you for the new ones.

--Shade

2.5 is the development branch of the 2.4 kernel series. There is not yet a development branch of 2.6, that will be 2.7. This is further evidence that 2.6 is still considered not ready for production boxen. My understanding is that Linus doesn't open the development branch until he is satisfied that the current kernel is stable. Also they say you are not supposed to use the .config file from your 2.4 kernel in building the 2.6 kernel, although I think several people have done so. It just needs a lot of tweaking afterwards. Like they said above keep your 2.4 kernel (probably should upgrade it to the newer stock slack kernel as 2.4.22 had security issues IIRC) and then muck around with the 2.6 kernel all you want.

I did it! I upgraded to 2.4.28! But on that new kernel, it does this:

modprobe: Cant find module tulip (my network card)
modprobe: Cant find snd_emu10k1 (Thats my sound card)

So I thought, run alsaconf and netconfig then dhcpcd. Didn't work. Any ideas?

Well, did you configure tulip as a module or in your kernel? Same for sound module?


--Shade

First, I meant 2.4.26. Second, yes soundcard is a module, I dont know where tulip would be but I'm sure its a mod because a used my 2.4.22 .config file and it worked then. (I'm on 2.4.22 now, by the way)

The tulip drivers are located in the network device 100mbps card section of the kernel configure menu near the middle. Look for Other pci isa cards which when selected opens cards below it.

Tulip drivers are stated to be 'older' compat drivers but are also used for generic cards.

There is a quick and dirty way to add most anything missed to the kernel as a module.....
Open the .config in your favorite editor and find what you missed (i.e. the tulip driver is around line 690 to 700) ste it to CONFIG_THINGY=m do this for everything as a module you wish. save it...
Goto /usr/src/linux in the console and (command syntax kernel version dependant) make oldconfig then make modules, make modules_install..

That should get what ya need.....

Strange, I updated the kernel to 2.6.6 just to see if tulip and such will work if I put them as mods. (I still have 2.4.22) And they didn't I'm SURE that tulip and my SB Live! are mods.