Kernel upgrade

Here I have considered current kernel version 2.6.9-22.ELsmp and upgrading to 2.6.15.4.
Note : If you are upgrading from 2.4 to 2.6 series you need to install module-init-tools first

Lets start with the kernel upgrade

(Note that oldconfig will only work within the same major version of the kernel. You cannot, for example, use a 2.4.x .config with the 2.6.x kernel)

keep hitting enter and take the defaults until you get to the CPU type. Select your CPU. Also in the SMP section select SMP if you have multiple CPUs. Oh, and select "(No Forced Preemption (server))" under that section. Everything else, just hit enter to take the defaults.

Then to compile and install:

Then to configure your boot loader in case of disaster:

..make sure it looks like this with default=1 and the new kernel (2.6.15.4) on top. Here we are keeping the old kernel as default. To set new kernel as default make default=0

file looks something like this :

Then configure grub to boot to the new kernel one time. This way if it panicks or you can't get to the machine because the network service blows up, you can have the data center do a reboot and it will go back to the last kernel. If it does boot ok and everything looks good, edit grub.conf again and change it to "default=0" and it will boot the new kernel by default after that.

Reboot..... fingers crossed ...Good Luck