patching kernel 2.6.5

[Alan Brown]

Hello from Newuserland!

I've tried to do my homework (Fedora-list archives, web searches, HOWTOs, 
etc) on this, but haven't come up with an explanation or solution.  I 
recently installed Fedora Core 2 with kernel 2.6.5-1.358, and before doing 
anything else, want to patch the source and compile the kernel to bring it 
up to date.  I've got patch files for 2.6.6 through 2.6.8.1 and all the 
signatures check okay.  I run into trouble right off the mark (at least it 
looks like trouble to these aging newbie eyes...) when trying to apply 
patch-2.6.6 (using "patch -p1 --dry-run < patch-2.6.6").

I get a boat load of errors like this:

   patching file xxxxxxx
   Reversed (or previously applied) patch detected!  Assume -R? [n]
   Apply anyway? [n]

and fewer but still a lot of

   Hunk #n FAILED at xxxx

messages.

Nothing I've read has said to expect much by way of errors during patching, 
so I'm reluctant to remove the --dry-run parameter and try it for real.  Is 
this normal for patching?  Did I miss a step or crucial instruction or 
information source along the way?  Should I "assume -R" and/or "apply anyway"?

TIA!

Alan Brown


Alan Brown
Programmer/Analyst Sr
Business Information Systems
Cornell Information Technologies
607-254-5456
alb45 at cornell.edu

"There is no nonsense so arrant that it cannot be made the creed of the 
vast majority by adequate governmental action." -- Bertrand Russell: An 
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