Kernel install

[Heineken1985]

I fairly new to Linux and I am having some problems installing the nvidia drivers for my card. I downloaded the newest drivers and tried to install it, but when I install it says that it must connect to nvidia to download the newest kernel. Unfourtunately I cannot connect to the internet. What should I do now? I downloaded kernel 2.6.11, but since i'm new at linux i'm unsure on how to install the new kernel. Could anyone help me out with this?

thank you very much

[sco0by]

>Kernel install
>I fairly new to Linux and I am having some problems installing the nvidia drivers >for my card. I downloaded the newest drivers and tried to install it, but when I >install it says that it must connect to nvidia to download the newest kernel. >Unfourtunately I cannot connect to the internet. What should I do now? I >downloaded kernel 2.6.11, but since i'm new at linux i'm unsure on how to >install the new kernel. Could anyone help me out with this?
>
>thank you very much


yeah sure.

first thing your gonna wanna do is backup ur /etc/ directory and /home directory.


[doesnt need to be to a separate disk, can just cp -R /home /homebackup]

$]>cd /usr/src

$]>cp /wherevaitis/2.6.11.tar.gz ./

$]>tar -zxvf 2.6.11.tar.gz

this will make a directory called 2.6.11 in /usr/src
with the 2.6.11 kernel source tree in it.

ok now, before we go anyfurther,
$]>uname -r

if the result of uname -r is equal to 2.6.11 then abort - theres no point! youd just be recompiling the same kernel, ok, lets assume that uname -r < 2.6.11

$]>rm linux
$]>remove symbolic link 'linux'? > Y

if you dont get 'remove symbolic link 'linux' then thats ok. dont panic

now
$]>ln -s 2.6.11 linux

and an
$]>ls -la
should reveal that there now exists a linux -> 2.6.11
link

ok
now for the fun bit
$]>cd linux
$]>make mrproper
$]>make gconfig
(or xconfig)
muck around with the configuration params of the kernel (NB - Must be running X at this point - menuconfig is not pretty)
make sure that rivafb isnt included and if u do need it, make it as a module only!! (the NVIDIA pkg dont like the rivafb one)

ok now save once youve finished configuring your kernel
then simply

$]> make && make modules && make modules_install && make install

now $]>echo go make some coffee
$]>echo this will take a while :-P :-)

make install doesnt work on all distros
on some u need to cp bzImage to /boot
and update lilo or grub

as a general rule - if it aint in the man, README, INSTALL, or html DOC files, then its not a good idea.