Booting up an old computer

[Andrewski]

I have an old computer on which I'm putting Mandrake 9.2 for a friend. I think it's a P233 with 128MB of RAM, etc. Question is: would it be worthwhile to install the 2.6 kernel? I hear everyone say it's "fast", but know not in what sense that is meant. She's pretty bright, but not well-versed in Linux (yet ) so it would really only make a difference if apps start faster and such. Thoughts?

[iphitus]

I am on a 300mhz, and the 2.4 kernel (self compiled) is faster than a Debian Precompiled 2.4.

 

I will compile a 2.4 kernel to compare right now -- as i'm bored!

[iphitus]

I now say. Yes. If you self compile it.

 

http://www.mandrakeusers.org/index.php?act...ST&f=21&t=11024

[Andrewski]

Thanks iphitus. I'm not sure I want to spend the afternoon compiling her kernel (at this point, that is over her head... and I've never done it before ;)) so I'll opt out for now. Interesting results, though!!

[iphitus]

I might add, it only takes me 45 minutes to compile

 

wget http://kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/li...x-2.6.1.tar.bz2

tar -xvjf linux-2.6.1.tar.bz2

cd linux

make mrproper

make menuconfig

make

make modules install

cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/bzImage-2.6.1

cp System.map /boot/System.map-2.6.1

 

Then make an initrd and add to lilo

Edited January 25, 2004 by iphitus

[kde-head]

Then make an initrd and add to lilo

 

what do you mean by "make an initrd"?i presume you mean change the symlink in /boot to point at the 2.6 initrd.img file?

 

On my 9.1 Mandrake system there are also kernel.h , System.map and vmlinuz symlinks.

Do I need to repoint these at 2.6 equivalents?

 

config -> config-2.4.21-0.13mdk

initrd.img -> initrd-2.4.21-0.13mdk.img

kernel.h -> /boot/kernel.h-2.4.21-0.13mdk

System.map -> System.map-2.4.21-0.13mdk

vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-2.4.21-0.13mdk

[kde-head]

tried compiling according to ipitus' guidelines, but my box didnt even boot into lilo.

 

my lilo config was ok. thankfully, i had a copy of mandrakemove and i was able to revert back to 2.4. handy CD that MandrakeMove - well recommended.

 

anyone else managed to compile the 2.6 kernel on Mandrake 9.1?

 

i just accepted the defaults when that kernel menuconfig thing popped up -maybe i missed something there?

[Urza9814]

I'm on an old comp and would like to try this too...but I know nothing about linux really...so I too am wondering what this 'Then make an initrd and add to lilo' thing means... :-P

Don't ya just hate newbies who want to know everything immediatly? :-P

[kde-head]

hey- dont worry. i've got 5 years linux experience,and even i get confused sometimes. its all part of the learning curve.

 

Linux doesnt hand it to you on a plate, and never will - part of the buzz is just finding things out and getting them working. And you come away from it with a bit more tech knowledge than before. If Linux was car,it would be hot-rod,dragster thing- massively powerful, but you can build it yourself and tweak to your requirements.

Windows is just a Russian Lada car. The Mac is an S-Class 4 door Mercedes - everything works, but you never quite know HOW it all works. I'm a dragster kind of person - i want to get under the bonnet and control my own computer totally -hence i choose Linux.