Hi, SuSE'ers: I set about downloading, configuring, and compiling a new kernel (2.4.17 from kernel.org). I copied my original SuSE .config file over, for a running start. The summary is that my kernel is much-streamlined, but unfortunately I can't see anything :-( It sets up my USB stuff, configures my eth0and even does the DHCPclient thing (I watch the cable-modem-lights), but no console :-( I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction... From my /var/log/messages, here is the relevant stuff: Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1127]: /dev/tty1: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1128]: /dev/tty2: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1129]: /dev/tty3: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1130]: /dev/tty4: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1139]: /dev/tty1: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1140]: /dev/tty2: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1146]: /dev/tty1: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1150]: /dev/tty1: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1152]: /dev/tty1: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1154]: /dev/tty1: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1156]: /dev/tty1: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1158]: /dev/tty1: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1160]: /dev/tty1: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick mingetty[1162]: /dev/tty1: cannot open tty: No such device Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick init: Id "1" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes <<snip a bunch of very-similar stuff>> Feb 17 14:41:51 oilslick init: no more processes left in this runlevel Feb 17 14:41:52 oilslick gdm[1026]: gdm_slave_xioerror_handler: Fatal X error - Restarting :0 Feb 17 14:41:54 oilslick gdm[1248]: gdm_slave_xioerror_handler: Fatal X error - Restarting :0 Feb 17 14:41:56 oilslick kernel: eth1: no IPv6 routers present Feb 17 14:41:57 oilslick kernel: eth0: no IPv6 routers present Feb 17 14:41:58 oilslick gdm[1251]: gdm_slave_xioerror_handler: Fatal X error - Restarting :0 Feb 17 14:42:02 oilslick gdm[1254]: gdm_slave_xioerror_handler: Fatal X error - Restarting :0 Feb 17 14:42:02 oilslick gdm[806]: deal_with_x_crashes: Running the XKeepsCrashing script Feb 17 14:42:02 oilslick gdm[806]: Failed to start X server several times in a short time period; disabling display :0 I think it's no surprise that X crashes, if a virtual-console 7 can't be established. Previous to this, I also couldn't get output, but it was due to 'char-major-4' not being found. I fixed this by changing the Character Device Support -> Standard/Generic Serial Support from compiled-in, to module. This created the serial.o module, which satisfied the 'char-major-4' error. I found this on the Web. As for right now - I *do* have /dev/tty*, with ownerships and permissions that look sort of OK. I tried 'chmod a+rw tty?' just to be sure, but upon the next reboot, it seemed that these were re-set a bit. When I look a /var/log/messages for a normal boot, there is nothing about tty in there... :-( Any thoughts at all? I can read/try just about anything! Thanks! -Gord PS: Here's the quick summary of what I'm doing, in the order I'm doing it, in case there's anything I'm doing wrong (again, got this off the Web, mostly): In /usr/src/linux-2.4.17, as root: -make xconfig -make dep -make clean -make bzImage -make modules -blow away the tree below /lib/modules/2.4.17 -make modules_install -cp bzImage /boot/vmlinuz.2.4.17 -cp System.map /boot/System.map-2.4.17 -lilo (lilo.conf has a section to 2.4.17, which I keep re-using. 'til it works, anyway!) -no mk_initrd, because the only thing that was in there was reiserfs, and that's now compiled into the kernel. Besides, it successfully accesses my / filesystem, confirming reiserfs is in the kernel.