Step by step for 2.6

Question

So I think im finally ready to make the plundge to the 2.6 kernel.
So I need some help. Ive only compiled a kernel a few times, and I never changed many settings.
So could someone give a step by step for it (being sure to list any arch-specific quirks)? I would greatly appreciate it.
Also, I hear theres a patch that lets you run the Official Nvidia drivers with the 2.6 kerne, has anyone gone through this? I really have no idea how to go about doing this,as i've only ever installed the .run file.
Any help would be appreciated.
Also, its possible to switch between the 2.4 and 2.6 kernel, right? (obviously with a reboot).
Lastly, Is a new release of the 2.6 due out anytime soon? I dont want to download and compile this just to find a new version comes out.

Answer 1

You have to use module-init-tools which supercedes modutils.  I made a PKGBUILD for it for my local system simply so I could uninstall it easier if I wanted.  However, you still need the old modutils as well.
Here is my hack to get module-init-tools working:
1.  Use the PKGBUILD below to compile and install module-init-tools.
2.  For each of modprobe, lsmod, rmmod, depmod, and modinfo from modutils, rename those to modprobe.old, lsmod.old, etc.  To find where these binaries are, use "pacman -Ql modutils".
3.  Create symbolic links from the binaries that modutils used to provide to the new binaries that module-init-tools provides.  Again, use "pacman -Ql module-init-tools" to figure out where the new ones are.
Example - modutils provides /sbin/lsmod.  Rename that to /sbin/lsmod.old.  module-init-tools provides /usr/bin/lsmod.  Create a symbolic link as follows:
[root@limbo root]# ln -s /usr/bin/lsmod /sbin/lsmod
If you aren't 100% sure what i am trying to say here, don't try any of it, or you will bork your system.  Also, this is more of a hack, and that's why I didn't upload the package to incoming.  I only made the PKGBUILD to keep track of where everything was going.
Anyway... hope this helps you on your way to:
[john@limbo john]$ uname -r
2.6.0-test5
[john@limbo john]$
PKGBUILD
pkgname=module-init-tools
pkgver=0.9.13
pkgdesc=""
url="http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/rusty/modules/"
depends=()
conflicts=()
backup=()
install=
source=(http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/rusty/modules/$pkgname-$pkgver.tar.gz)
build() {
cd $startdir/src/$pkgname-$pkgver
./configure
make || return 1
make prefix=$startdir/pkg/usr install