Installing 11.0 from DVD updating kernel to 2.6.21.5
 

I have successfully completed an install from the DVD I selected to install everything well besides the kernel source (it kept freezing on me at that point). I started learning how to move around KDE with the keyboard because my logitech mice for some reason will not work. I read that in kernel 2.6.X they are supported more. Well I have been reading all these things for compiling the kernel. I have downloaded 2.6.21.5.tar.bz2 and want to know should I install wait to install other things before I compile the kernel?

What I have read makes me think I am going to have to recompile and install all these other things after I update the kernel. I plan on installing GRUB 0.97, right now I start slack with the boot disk if its not in then windows boots up. Everything I have found for slackware is talking about lilo which I understand because slack comes with lilo only. Should I wait to install GRUB after the kernel upgrade? Just to make things more simple or is it easier to have grub installed and then compile?

I have 2.4.33.3 installed and I was reading about the .config file Do I really need to pull that over because its hard to start from scratch or can I do just that forget the .config file and start fresh? One thing I read said that after I do this the first time after compiling it will be easier to update the kernel to a newer one. This is a fresh install so I have not really edited slack in anyway yet besides running KDE and going through the wizard to set it up.

Here are the forums I have read or a few of the many.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=49035

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=127095

http://www.linuxquestions.org/linux/...Slackware_10_1

Thank you,
Kyle

Did you run mouseconfig?

Depends on what the other things are. If they are slackware packages it shouldn't matter. If you are building something like kernel modules you should wait because you will need to redo them after you do a new kernel.
Lilo is the default in slackware, but grub ships with the distribution, you can find it in /extra.

As long as you don't do both simultaneously I don't think it matters much. Personally, I'd try to get the kernel right first.

A 2.4.x config file will not be very useful in compiling a 2.6.x kernel. If you want to start from a "working" config, use the one from slackware's "generic" kernel.
When going from 2.6.x to 2.6.y you can start with your old config.

Brian

Thanks for all the information I will try these things and see how it works out.

Kyle

[Edit] Alright well I played around with the mouseconfig. I remember doing that at install I guess I just selected the wrong mouse. Now its working well at least my wired one is. I have been reading people were having problems with the MX700 from logitech. I will work on that later just wanted to get the mouse working. Thanks a lot. Now time to try an compile 2.6.21.5 lol hopefully it works if not guess I will just format and try again. :D Trial and error best way to learn.

have you tried 'xorgsetup' ?

No never heard of xorgsetup is that to configure the mouse? Or something about the kernel?

I have a question if I dont have lilo or grub installed can I still do this for updating the kernel?

Here is all the commands I think I would need and the order in which I have to put them from my understanding. This is having the kernel .tar.bz2 file on my /dev/sda1 usb drive to start off.

Now that should change everything to the new 2.6.x kernel correct? Did I leave something out that I need to add?

Thanks,
Kyle

'xorgsetup' sets up xorg (xserver). Run it when xserver is down and see if it detects the mouse properly.

Well I did mouseconfig and saw I selected the wrong one when I was installing slackware. Now my wired mouse works :D yay but my Logitech MX700 does nothing but movie up and down when I move it right and left. lol I read some where on here about that problem once so I have to search for it. but first since the wired one is working I need to get the kernel updated. I will how ever try xorgsetup before I startx next time I load linux.

Thanks,
Kyle

I had similar problem with my Logitech mice (both of them) ... it only happened on 2.4.x kernels, and I am unsure to what the cause is as they work fine in DSL (on a 2.4.x kernel there).

Check which kernel version you are running with 'uname -r'.

I know I am running 2.4.33.3 thats why I am trying to compile the 2.6.21.5 so problems are less. But I think their might be to much information and ways to go about doing this as it is confusing me to death what commands I need to run and how I need to set my system up for prep.

Thanks,
Kyle

It should compile like any other kernel. See the slackbook (in my sig) for more ... it has a decent guide to compiling.

What I would do is:
1) run 'make mrproper' on the kernel source
2) copy in a .config file, perhaps from the Slackware 2.6.17.13 in the '/extra' directory of the install CD/DVD
3) run 'make oldconfig'
4) run 'make menuconfig' and set things up like you want (see the kernel compile thread)
5) run 'make'
6) install the kernel manually like it says in the slackbook
7) run 'make modules_install'
8) if you run lilo, update '/etc/lilo.conf'
9) run '/sbin/lilo'
10) reboot, and cross your fingers ... :)

Humm I just tried to tar the file but I kept getting this....
I will need to be in the directory that has the untar linux kernel correct? so if that tar did work I would then #cd /usr/src and run the make commands from there? Also I am not seeing my DVD drive so I think I have to mount it... I am still giving it a go before I start asking about getting the drive working.

I hope i get this kernel installed because if I don't keep messing with the system it will freeze and I then need to do a cold reboot.

Thanks you,
Kyle

You can build the kernel anywhere. The right command to extract it to '/usr/src' (if that's where you choose to build it) is:

Oh ok thank you I will try that. I was successful on figuring out how to get the DVD mounted :-D now to install grub for the next step. That will be after I get this kernel working. I have to keep rebooting my system. the laptop is being used right now.

Thanks
Kyle

Alright seems like everything is working but I cant fine the .config file in the /extra dir of the dvd and when I check the linux-2.6.17.13 dir it is just tgz .asc and .txt files. Is tgz the same as a tar file, a compressed?

It's short for tar.gz, the .config file is inside there, and is hidden, hence the '.' before it.

Ok so is there a way for me to view hidden files? Sorry I am trying to pull over my knowledge from windows which is a bad idea. I guess I need to understand a little more about the Linux file structure to use it properly.

Thank you for all the help.

Kyle