Install new kernel. If your still with me at this point, I'm thinking that you might be a lot like me. You know there is something new and better than what you have out there. Why else are you using swaret to upgrade you to the latest and greatest every day? So you probably want to check out the new 2.6.5 kernel. Here's how I do it, and it has worked like a charm every time. Note: When I wrote this, 2.6.5 was latest stable kernel. These directions work for all of the 2.6.xx kernels, though.
Maybe, like I was the first time, you are a little nervous and want to make sure you get everything just right. I do all of my kernel upgrades right inside Gnome. It just seems easier to me. First off, you need to get the new kernel. Crank up the favorite browser and point it to http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/linux-2.6.5.tar.bz2 . If your setup is like mine, your going to get a pop-up window asking you where you would like to store this bad boy. A real good choice is /usr/src . After it finishes, use your file manager to open up /usr/src . Double-click on the package that you just downloaded. That will open up file-roller. Click on extract. Make sure that the re-create folders option is checked and click ok. You'll now see a new folder (linux-2.6.5) in /usr/src. While your looking, you should also see a folder with a shortcut mark named linux in /usr/src. Go ahead and delete that folder. Now, right click on the new folder that you created a second ago (linux-2.6.5) and pick "Make Link". There is a new folder now named "link to linux-2.6.5". Right click on that folder, pick rename, and change the name to "linux" (no quotes). Wow, we are moving right along here.
Now we are going to open up a terminal. Type:
cd /usr/src/linux
Now we are going to type:
make gconfig
As if by magic, you should see a new window pop up that is named "Linux Kernel v2.6.5 Configuration". You are going to go to that window and click "Options". Then, you need to make sure that the "Show all options" is checked. A lot of people leave that out. It's a lot easier to miss something when you don't have that checked. You see, the menus will usually only show you options that you are able to select. Some options require other options in order to work properly. As you go through the list, you may think that you've selected all of the options you need, but some obscure option is missing. That's because as you worked your way down, new options were appearing ahead of you that you knew nothing about. I try to avoid that type of situation by clicking on the "Show all options" button. It also helps to go through the entire menu about three times. Might seem like overkill, but it sure does scuk if you don't find out you missed something until your new kernel refuses to boot.
Now comes the most difficult part. Every computer is different, so I can't offer tons of help here. I definately recommend that you click on every single choice and read the help that is printed about it. I follow all of the recomendations that they make as to including an option or not. One thing I can say is that you should definately choose your processor and you should probably also choose the preemptible kernel option. Also, I always choose the "Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers". Some more tips? Make sure you don't cofigure your filesystems as modules. You'll need the filesystems (at least one of them) a long time before your computer ever gets around to loading modules.
Anyways, spend a long time going through all of those options. If in doubt, don't leave it out. If everything works for you and you think you have a bunch of stuff you don't need, you can always recompile later. Beats the alternative of not being able to boot your new kernel. That gaurantees you will be recompiling, ya know! When you are happy with all of you choices, go ahead and click "File" and "Quit". You'll be asked if you want to save your changes. Say yes and all of your choices will be stored in a file named /usr/src/linux/.config . Of course, since /usr/src/linux is a link to /usr/src/linux-2.6.5, your file is really saved as /usr/src/linux-2.6.5/.config , but don't let that confuse you a bit.
We are on easy street, now. No more choices!!! Go to that terminal you have open. You should still be in /usr/src/linux (or /usr/src/linux-2.6.5 , It's the same thing). Type:
echo 'You are almost done'
and press enter. You should get a motivational message. Now type:
make bzImage
and watch the text fly by. When the text finally stops (it could take awhile) you need to type:
cp /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.5
Now what I like to do at this point is use my file manager to look in the /boot directory. You should see vmlinuz-2.6.5 in there now. You'll also see vmlinuz-2.4.22, I believe. There is also a file, vmlinuz, which is a link to vmlinuz-2.4.22. Go ahead and delete /boot/vmlinuz. Now right click on /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.5 and pick "make link". Rename the link /boot/vmlinuz.
Switching back to that terminal of yours, type:
make modules
After all the text finishes blowing past you, type:
make modules_install
Now type:
cp System.map /boot/System.map-2.6.5
cp .config /boot/config-2.6.5
Now those two files aren't gonna be doin' anything for us with those names. I just like to give them names to keep track of which kernel goes with which files. You're going to need some symlinks. You can do like I did earlier with the file manager, or you can just type:
ln -s /boot/System.map-2.6.5 /boot/System.map
ln -s /boot/config-2.6.5 /boot/config
Now your new kernel is all in place. All you've got to do is tell LILO about it. Open up /etc/lilo.conf in you favorite text editor. See the part that looks like this:
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.22
root = /dev/hda2
label = Slackware
read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends
You're going to need to copy all of that and paste it at the end of the file. Then, change the line that reads "image = /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.22" to "image = /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.5" on the section you just pasted. Also, you need to change the new "label = Slackware" to something catchy, like "label = Slackware-2.6.5". Now, I could really be messing you up here. If LILO originally pointed you to vmlinuz-2.4.22, then everything is peachy-keen. If, on the other hand, it only pointed to vmlinuz, you'll remember that we changed that and made that a shortcut to vmlinuz-2.6.5. That would leave us with two choices both pointing to your new kernel. Not good if there are problems with the new kernel. Make sure that your first choice is pointing to the kernel that is running now. It should be in the /boot folder, if your having trouble figuring it out. Got that all? Save the file and let's roll.
Well, now. Go back to your terminal and type:
/sbin/lilo
Make sure you didn't get any error messages. Reboot. You should have a couple o' choices, like maybe Slackware or Slackware-2.6.5. Pick the Slackware-2.6.5. Everything work? Good. If you've been following along, everything should be in graphical mode. OH, SNAP!!! I've got the Nvidia drivers, and they don't work with my cool new kernel. Oh well, easy enough to fix. Ctrl-alt-f6 takes me to a console login. I already have the Nvidia installer from when I installed those puppies the first time. You didn't delete them, did you? Great, just go to the directory that you put them in and type:
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-5336-pkg1.run
Everything should be right in the world now.