How to determine update kernel if success?

[Rick Stevens]

Edward King wrote:
> I use Linux 7.3 ,and I update the kernel,use following commands:
> #rpm -Uvh modutils-2.4.18-3.7x.i386.rpm
> #rpm -ivh kernel-2.4.20-28.7.i686.rpm
> Then I restart my computer (single CPU), I found linux creates three 
> directories in /lib/modules,they are 2.4.18-3, 2.4.20-28.7 and 
> 2.4.18-3smp ,there is many files in them,but there is a flicker red 
> "build" in every directory of them. I want to know if  I update kernel 
> of Linux is success?

Each "/lib/modules" directory is named after a version of the kernel
you've installed and contains the kernel modules (drivers, filesystems,
etc.) for that specific kernel.  The situation you describe is normal.

The flashing red "build" is a symbolic link to the kernel source
directory that corresponds to the kernel build.  The "ls" command
will cause symlinks with non-existent targets to flash.  Since you
haven't installed the kernel source RPMs, those symlinks will flash.
If you were to "rpm -ivh kernel-source-whatever.rpm", you'd find the
symlinks will stop blinking, since the target of the symbolic link now
exists.
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- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-         "OK, so you're a Ph.D. Just don't TOUCH anything!"         -
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