Hi! I'm just about to install slack 10.2 on my "windows" computer, finaly converting last of 6 machines to linux!

But, which kernel would be best for my system?

AMD ATHLON 64 3200+ 2,2GHz
1024GB RAM
200GB IDE HD
Plextor CD-RW
Nec DVD-RW
NVIDIA GeForce 6800GT 256MB
TV Card, Happauge WinTV
Epox Mainboard 8KDA3J

Would it be best with 2.4 or 2.6 and if, how do I install with 2.6 kernel?

2.4 is still maintained - if you don't know why you would need to upgrade, why mess with it?!? However, a kernel upgrade would eb the first recommendation if you end up having problems.

If nothing is going wrong then it's not necessary to upgrade but if you were to upgrade I would get the newest one available (I think it's 2.6.13.4).

Sounds like a desktop machine...I'd recommend 2.6...then again I've been using 2.6 in all my servers for quite sometime as well

If you want to try 2.6 then when you boot of the 10.2 install disk type
It will then boot the 2.6 kernel that comes in the testing directory.

Netizen

test26.s is not the same that comes in testing/, it has more stuff built-in to be able to support more hardware without the need for modules.
I would recommend you to install the one at testing after install.
Also, if you install using test26.s you'll need to intall the modules after that. You may find more about this on the RELEASE_NOTES (it's on CD 1 or here: http://mirror.switch.ch/ftp/mirror/s.../RELEASE_NOTES).
If you want to install the one at testing, you can find a file in that directory called README.initrd which explains how to install that kernel and also add suport for reiserfs filesystem. You can see it online here: http://mirror.switch.ch/ftp/mirror/s.../README.initrd

Be sure not to install kernel 2.6 headers.

Why? Aren't the version of headers supposed to be the same with the version of kernel?

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Ok, I found the answer here:
http://ftp.riken.jp/Linux/slackware/...eaders.WARNING

Sorry for the noise :P

The default is 2.4, and the only reason I use 2.6 is the better throttling and CPU control options in 2.6 - which I need, now that I only own laptops. Otherwise, I have used 2.4 for desktop machines. After recompiling the kernel and slimming the services, it boots really fast. IMO, it is easier to slim a 2.4 kernel, but I don't know if it is just my personal, unfounded opinion...

You do not need the same headers as kernel version, only a few drivers actually require this(a few wireless cards, things like nvidia and such don't require the same version)

However, there is no reprecussion if you upgrade your kernel headers anymore. There used to be things where packages like glibc would freak out if the headers installed were not the same as the headers it was compiled against.(slackware compiles everything agianst 2.4 headers, upgrading to 2.6 headers would cause the problems)

This however has been fixed in more recent versions.

I stand corrected about it being the same as testing/...pardon my mistake.

test26.s will get you the 2.6 kernel with SATA, RAID, and SCSI support (i believe).

However, while test26.s will get you the 2.6 kernel, I would perfer the upgrade after install if it was my box. But its not.

Gbonvehi is as usual the source of excellent advice.

I'd also recommend the 2.6.13 kernel in testing. I prefer it on my ThinkPad, and it subjectively feels faster on my Compaq desktop. It's also a simple method of installing a 2.6 kernel on which Patrick has done all the work.

1. Install Slackware with the default 2.4.31 kernel and your preferred software packages.

2. Follow the instructions in the README.initrd in the Kernel folder in Testing.

Er that's it..

Step 2 should take you about 5 minutes.

Once you've installed the 2.6 kernel, you can make a link to the vmlinuz-ide-2.4.31 file in /boot and add something similar to your lilo.conf and switch between the 2.4 and 2.6 kernels.

Regards,

dkpw