This directory contains many precompiled Linux kernels. See the README in bootdsks.12 or bootdsks.144 for a brief description of the drivers in each one, or the config.in files in these subdirectories for a complete description. The kernels in directories starting with 'b-' were used to make the Slackware bootdisks. The ones in directories starting with '-s' were used to make kernel packages for the installed system. Typically these have more features compiled into them. You can make bootdisks out of these, or use them with LOADIN to boot your Linux system from MS-DOS. Most people won't need this directory, but if you need to remake a bootkernel disk from scratch, or you need a bootdisk that doesn't load the rootdisk into a ramdisk here's what you do: 1. Using a kernel in this directory to make a simple bootdisk: Just cat the kernel to a floppy, like this: cat scsinet/scsinet > /dev/fd0 Or, you may use RAWRITE.EXE to write the kernel to a disk. You may get warnings about it being a short file, but it will still work. All of the kernels in this directory are configured to mount the root partition, not load it into a ramdisk. This can make a big difference on machines with only 4 megabytes or RAM when all else (including disabling the shadow RAM, which does nothing under Linux except waste memory anyway) has failed. If you use one of these raw kernels to install, you can't install from your first floppy drive, and you won't be able to make a bootdisk at the end of the installation process. Use LILO, LOADLIN, or one of the normal bootkernel disks to get your system started after you finish installing. 2. Making a Slackware-like bootkernel disk from one of the supplied kernels, or one of your own (use the ramdisk.c.patch if you want it to wait for ENTER like the Slackware ones do). You can't do this under DOS - you'll have to be running Linux. First, edit the 'makedisk' script to point to the location of your bootkernel disk master directory if you don't want to use the default ./master one. Then, with a formatted disk in your boot drive, type: makedisk kernel_name disk_size ^^ ^^^^^^^^^ This can be 1440, or 1200. ^^^^^^^^^^^ mitsumi, scsi, or whatever you want to use. Include the path to the kernel if it's in one of the subdirectories, such as: mitsumi/mitsumi This should automatically create the disk.