configure kernel/make oldconfig

[Ashish Samant <als1140 cs rit edu>]

Hi...

I am trying to build/install a new kernel and have got as far as getting
the clean kernel source (2.4.20) and applying the patches that I have.I am
already working with a RH9 distro and 2.4.20 kernel.(Just needed a
cleaner,stripped down kernel for the patches). I now need to configure it
and was wondering if I could use, 'make oldconfig'. This is the first
time, that I would be building the kernel,and I suspect, my old config
file, (that came with my RH9 kernel) will not work.I guess my best option
is 'make xconfig' ??

Out of curiosity, under what scenario can I use 'make oldconfig' ? Also,
in quite a few of the sources on this topic on the web, they mainly talk
about 'make config', 'make menuconfig', 'make xconfig'. Is 'oldconfig'
kind of outdated or specific to some versions/distros...etc ?

Thanks for your time,

Ashish Samant.