Download kernel source, linux-2.6.x.tar.bz2 from www.kernel.org

tar xvjpf linux-2.6.x.tar.bz2 -C /usr/src/

ln -sf /usr/src/linux-2.6.x /usr/src/linux

1 - "cd /usr/src/linux-2.6.x"

2 - "make mrproper"

3 - "cp /boot/config ./.config" (please notice the .'s carefully, there is no
.config in /boot and the file config will be useless to your kernel...it needs
to be .config)

4 - "make menuconfig" or "make xconfig" or "make gconfig" -whichever you prefer,
(I like gconfig because its a snazzy gui that has little notes on the options and
tells you what they mean and if you might want them or not)

5 - now change the options you want to change

6 - exit and it will save the config. (or hit save and exit in gconfig)

7 - "make bzImage && make modules && make modules_install" - the && means that
the previous command must finish successfully before going on with the next.

Once this completes you you will have bzImage in
/usr/src/linux-2.6.x/arch/i386/boot and in /usr/src/linux-2.6.x/ you
will have System.map.

8 - "cp /usr/src/linux-2.6.x/System.map /boot/System.map-2.6.x
9 - "cp /usr/src/linux-2.6.x/arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/bzImage-2.6.x

now in Vectorlinux /boot/System.map is a symlink which points to a real
system.map file, if you ls -al System.map you will see that it point to
your old System.map

10 - "rm System.map" removing the symlink

11 - "ln -sf /boot/System.map-2.6.x System.map" which replaces it.

now we need to edit /etc/lilo.conf with your favorite editor...
if you're afraid of vi then you can always "nedit /etc/lilo.conf"
but I prefer vi.
You should have an entry that looks "something" like this:


image=/boot/vmlinuz
label=linux
root=/dev/hda2
read-only

12 - copy all four lines and paste them with a one line break below the
original.

13 - in the new entry you just made to /etc/lilo.conf change the line image=/boot/vmlinuz to
image=/boot/bzImage-2.6.x. Also change label=linux to label=linux-2.6.x. Save and quit.

Be sure that you have TWO similar paragraphs, one starting with line
image=/boot/vmlinuz and another beginning with the line
image=/boot/bzImage-2.6.x, this way you will have a "backup kernel" in case this
one borks.

14 - as root run "lilo"
15 - cross your fingers, reboot.
16 - enjoy your new kernel

***Common Problem*** often you reboot to a black screen, and it appears nothing is happening, you will even think your computer is broken it is NOT!
This is a framebuffer problem that is being worked on right now, just reboot again and at lilo prompt instead of Linux-2.6.x, highlight linux-2.6.x and append "vga=normal' then
enter. Or you can just type linux-2.6.x vga=normal at the lilo prompt and you should be home free.