Kernel compiling just not for me

[Sadrok]

I've tried on numerous times to compile the kernel. Everytime it compiles without problems but at bootup the trouble starts.

I get errors like
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/hda6 or too many mounted filesystems (hda6 is a vfat system and is so in fstab, so why?)
modprobe: cannot find module emu10k1 (for my SBLive, I've compiled it into the kernel, not as a module!)
modprobe: cannot find usb_interface (Everything in USB messes around, my USB optical mouse is powered off, I get a bunch or error/debug (USB Bulk:Timeout) message concerning USB that is just too much to handle on a console.

This is on kernel 2.4.18 I've downloaded.
I'm currently downloading version 2.5.12 - is it good?

[Stef]

No, 2.5.* are testing kernels. THere meant for kernel developpers, not end users. Stick with the 2.4 series odd number kernels are always testing kernels when round number ones are stable

ie: 2.4.x stable, 2.5.x testing :D

From the errors that you have I would say that you've compiled a bad file system option and forgot to change /etc/modules before rebooting.

It's hard to say whithout knowing your system specs.

Could you list your hardware (mobo, cpu, peripherals, etc.. ) and paste a copy of your kernel config file. Usually it's /usr/src/linux/.config

Stef

[Sadrok]

That explains why 2.5.12 is not compiling :P
Sure about that .config file :D
It 912 lines long.
Specs: Thunderbird 1000, 512meg SDR, Epox EP-8KTM3, SB Live! Value, Davicom Network 10/100Mbit/s, LG 8x DVD, HP 8210i CDWriter, Seagate 30Gig (bunch'o'paritions with 1x DOS fs), WD 20gig DOS fs.
(I'm in the process of going all Linux and converting them partitions into ext2) :D
I've configured SBLive! into kernel but it want's to load it as module?!?!
O and /etc/modules is empty :eek:

[Stef]

Read the Linux Kernel HOWTO (http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Kernel-HOWTO.html) it covers most of the basic stuff.

A few good tips:

- optimize for your CPU familly
-compile all peripherals as modules (parrallel/serial/USB ports, PCI cards, AGP cards)
- enable MTTR support
- enable System V IPC, BSD process accounting, and sysctl support
-compile support for a.out and misc binaries as modules, compile ELF binary support directlly into the kernel (reduces kernel size)
- compile EXT2 file system support directly into the kernel, the rest can be modules.
- don't compile things that you don't need

I go for the modular kernel, it gives you the advantage of being able to load and unload device drivers on the fly :D

Stef