Linux Mandrake 7.2 and Linux Kernel 2.4.0

[ricomania]

I'm just getting around to trying out linux and decided to start with this version. Downloading and installing was a breeze. Been online with it and everything. It practically installed itself.

Now along comes the linux 2.4.0 kernel. Is it possible to upgrade the 2.2.x kernel that I'm assuming is in mandrake7.2 to the 2.4.0 kernel? Are they compatible?

How do I do it?

As ususal thanks in advance for any help.

[CMonster]

Yes, and no....

You will only notice a little increase in speed by upgrading, but you will have a great deal of work to do.

If you follow the readme you should be okay. You will have to download the kernel source of course, unzip/untar it, run a "make config" "make dep" "make bzImage" then "make modules" make modules_install" and finally "make install" from inside the source directory. BUT BEFORE YOU DO ANY OF THIS GO TO DrakConf AND MAKE A BOOT DISK WITH YOUR OLD KERNEL.

Have fun - you may recompile once if lucky 10-15 times if not.

There are difficulties: for one thing, the Mandrake 2.2.17 kernel is already patched in a few ways to make it a little more capable than a standard kernel expecially in USB and a handy little patch for the "supermount" function, that allows you to freely mount/unmount your CDROM, floppy, and other removable media by the click of an icon. You can attain nearl the same thing with a standard kernel (I am currently running 2.4 on Mandrake 7.2 -on this machine e.g. right this minute) but you will have to create a new link on the desktop (icon) and you can mount by clicking but you will have to unmount by right-click/unmount otherwise the CD will not eject. Depending on how you configure the kernel your USB may or may not work.

[ricomania]

Thanks CMonster

All of that is way over my head. I am brand new to Linux. I have copies of Redhat 6.0 and 6.1 around but never completely installed them. found a link to mandrake here and downloaded and installed with no promblem. Don't know how to mount and unmount but will figure it out soon I know.