[Rabbi_Bob]

Hey,
i recently booted windows and installed that copy of fedora core 4 you gave me. Im having issues installing the kernel development package mainly because it doent come with fedora core 4. I figure out you need to update the kernel. The first question is once you download the kernel from a different computer onto a flashdrive i seem to install it without the need for a terminal. Is there something related to the terminal that i have to do to actually update the kernel. Second thing is is when i try to yum install kernel-devel i get this error thats basically starts to install it but then says... invalid url unable to find repo: updates needed or something to this effect. Last thing is i need to use this program called ndiswrapper but i need to have kernel devel running first. the problem im having with ndiswrapper is i untarred the download file put it in a directory but when i try to install it i get this error that says... cannot find kernel buildpath give the buildpath with a kbuild=<buildpath> argument. this is very puzzling to me. Any advice or help would be appreciated because im having a very hard time figuring this stuff out. im not sure if this will help but the kernel im using at the moment is kernel-2.6.11-1.1369_fc4.stk16. Thanks much.

[Rabbi_Bob]

o i dont have internet access so im downloading everything on a different comp and transfering it.

[macdude425]

Update the kernel? Do you mean recompile or patch?

Also, you have to have a copy of the kernel sources in /usr/src for ndiswrapper to work. Watch out, it likes to invoke kernel panics.

[Rabbi_Bob]

which would be easier in you opinion patching it or recompiling? i was kinda thinking just patching. im not quite sure what you mean by your other comment what type of format do i need to type my kernel source in and where do i find the kernel source. Sorry im not really good with linux yet.

[macdude425]

If it'll let you install a patch (or driver/module rather) that'd be easier. However, recompiling is more flexible since you can cut stuff out.

I don't know where FC keeps the kernel sources, whether on a CD or on the net. I do know that if you don't have the exact sources it freaks out, so downloading from kernel.org and renaming them would not work. I try to stay away from FC; it scared me as a small child.

[Rabbi_Bob]

any suggestions on linux distros that are easier to set up wireless internet on? thanks for the help btw.

[jakec]

Rabbi Bob,

I'd try the following:

Kubuntu
http://www.kubuntu.org/

Mandriva
http://frontal2.mandriva.com/en/downloads/mirrors

Mephis
http://www.mepis.org/

OPENSUSE
http://en.opensuse.org/Welcome_to_openSUSE.org

hope this helps,

Jake

[mBernhardt]

I have a laptop running Ubuntu 6.10 with no problems running wireless.