Alright, as if I was a retarded child, help me out with this install.

[Meow]

Gently, with lots of very small words; Linux renders me incapable of comprehending multisyllabic words and phrases.

I also apologize in advance if I should hand you a cockroach or something awful like that.

Here's my problem: I'm trying to install Slackware on my laptop. Now, I only have one computer (this laptop), so whenever I want to come back to Happy Helper Land, I have to boot back into Windows, but asofar, LILO has given me no problems. No, my problem is with Slack. It appears to be an "either/or" sort of deal.

Installation works fine. And the 2.4 kernel is beautiful. Except that I want 2.6. Make no mistake, 2.4 works just fine, save for the fact that it absolutely, positively hates my mouse and will not work with it.

And the 2.6 kernel (both test26 and huge26) installs only a lo interface.

But the mouse works.

Now, I have an SiS 900 ethernet adapter. So, my silly little soft-skulled self decided to try: modprobe sis900.

I get some "FATAL ERROR: /lib/modules/blahblahblah/somethingsomething.dep does not exist olololol".

I'm just not sure what to do. I tried upgrading my kernel from 2.4 to 2.6. I'm fairly sure that I messed it up, since that install didn't work anymore.

I just want to use Kismet. *cries*

Well, now that I've made my issue apparent, I'm gonna go drool. Thanks for reading!

[Juan Pablo]

I have had a lot of problems with Slackware's kernel, my advice is to download a vanilla kernel from www.kernel.org and compile it yourself, it's not hard in any way. Customize it to your needs and include the drivers inside the kernel instead of modules, in my opinions modules are just good for ALSA

[Meow]

Well...Uh, how do I go about doing that? Very gently.

[bigtomrodney]

I don't like making recommendations like this usually, but Slackware is more of a DIY distro and really is tailored for the 2.4 kernel (Which might explain driver issues).

If you want something a bit more straightforward may I recommend SUSE, Fedora or Ubuntu?

Don't get me wrong, I just mean for simplicity and some handholding. If you'd like to continue on with Slackware there's plenty of help to be had here

[Meow]

I don't like making recommendations like this usually, but Slackware is more of a DIY distro and really is tailored for the 2.4 kernel (Which might explain driver issues).

If you want something a bit more straightforward may I recommend SUSE, Fedora or Ubuntu?

Don't get me wrong, I just mean for simplicity and some handholding. If you'd like to continue on with Slackware there's plenty of help to be had here

See, I don't mind getting my hands dirty. I've also had extremely poor experiences with Ubuntu. Namely, it's a gigantic pile of garbage.

Should I just go for FC6? I have heard positive things about it.

[rapidtux]

You will have to succsesfully recompile your kernel, download the latest 2.6 kernel from www.kernel.org, configure the kernel and make sure CONFIG_SIS900 is uncommented in the your /usr/src/linux/.config

You can do it, A little perserverance and it will be worth it.
PS - stick with slackware

[Meow]

I installed FC6.

Big mistake.

Hey, any way I can add a kernel during the burning of the ISO? I can edit ISOs and stuff from Windows, seems to me that sticking a kernel in an ISO would be the way to go.

*reinstalls slackware*

[kern]

You will have to succsesfully recompile your kernel, download the latest 2.6 kernel from www.kernel.org, configure the kernel and make sure CONFIG_SIS900 is uncommented in the your /usr/src/linux/.config

You can do it, A little perserverance and it will be worth it.
PS - stick with slackware

uhm, but that module is in pats precompiled kernel packages. Once again I have to say, why bother compiling?

[root@earth]/home/shaunb/support_guide:# modprobe -l | grep sis900
/lib/modules/2.6.18/kernel/drivers/net/sis900.ko
[root@earth]/home/shaunb/support_guide:#

[shaunb@earth]/home/shaunb:# zcat /proc/config.gz | grep CONFIG_SIS900
CONFIG_SIS900=m
[shaunb@earth]/home/shaunb:#

(on pats 2.6 kernel package)

[shaunb@earth]/home/shaunb:# ls /var/log/packages/*kernel* -lh
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  948 2006-10-31 15:46 /var/log/packages/kernel-generic-2.6.18-i486-1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  26K 2006-10-10 12:53 /var/log/packages/kernel-headers-2.4.33.3-i386-1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 100K 2006-10-31 15:46 /var/log/packages/kernel-modules-2.6.18-i486-1
[shaunb@earth]/home/shaunb:#

[kern]

Hey, any way I can add a kernel during the burning of the ISO?

No, its not possible.

[kern]

All you need to do is install the 2.6 kernel and module packages, run lilo and reboot.

The test26.s and huge26.s kernels on installation, don't install the 2.6 module tree, don't ask me why. I think theres info in a README on the CD as to specifically why they aren't installed.

after that, your network and mouse will work.