Simon wrote:
so that would mean going from kernel-image-2.6.8-9-em64t-p4-smp to kernel-image-2.6.8-12-em64t-p4-smp? Is this correct given your comment above?
Hm, hard to say, check out http://packages.debian.org/cgi-bin/search_packages.pl?keywords=kernel-image-2.6&searchon=names&subword=1&version=all&release=all.
When I upgrade to a newer kernel or make a new installation, I download the source of the latest stable one from http://kernel.org/ (unless I know I need some feature that is only in a more recent kernel). I prefer using kernels configured and compiled to what I need, and I have never had trouble with kernels compiled from the standard source on Debian.
Eventually check out /usr/src/linux/Documentation/Changes to find out if you got a sufficiently recent version of the required programs.
Compiling your own kernel might be the best way to go since you won't have features in it that are not needed. What's not there can't cause problems and doesn't eat ressources :)
For servers, I try to keep them stripped down to what's actually needed and/or useful, regarding both the kernel and the software/packages installed.
GH