Etch marks default kernel for uninstallation

[oaul]

Installed debian base on my laptop. From here on I want to use only etch packages. Edited sources.list for testing repos and everything seems great but if i try to install *ANYTHING* it marks the stock 2.4 kernel for uninstallation - saying it conflicts with some other dependancy. I would like to have that kernel lying around for spare. Is this normal? Can i override the removal?


Also, I feel stupid for asking but is it possible to build a kernel that overwrites the kernel thats currently running? Ive always assumed that would be an assenine thing to do (which is why I keep the 2.4 lying around - to rebuild my 'main' kernel). thanks

***EDIT****

Screw the 2.4 kernel. I have a new question. Is it possible to simply copy the initrd and vmlinuz files in /boot to a backup, add a new entry in the bootloader to point to the copied backups, and have two the ability to rebuild the original kernel while running the backup kernel? I hope that makes sense.

[Vergil83]

The reason it is dropping 2.4 is etch is going to ship with 2.6. I believe that 2.4 will only be allowed in etch if you had been using it in sarge.

For question #2, my first response I don't see why not, although I have never tried anything like that.