kernel install via yast destroys installation

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

I have compiled a lot of kernels in former SuSe releases. It was easy to keep several kernels in the boot menu. With OpenSuse 11.1, I did the following:

  1. I installed nvidia driver from nvidia site
  2. with software “management” of YAST I selected trace kernel for install
  3. after reboot I found that old pae-kernel has been removed from boot list!! -> software “management”?
  4. nvidia module could not be loaded with trace-kernel, no graphical login possible
  5. with software “management” of YAST I deselected trace-kernel with Yast while keeping old pae-kernel still selected, from the user point of view I think it must be still there and work
  6. after reboot I found that also trace-kernel is gone!! remains WIN XP only to boot
  7. I used my OpenSuse DVD to automatically repair boot loader
  8. After reboot no menu item, just grub command line interface

Thats really annoying. Do not want to do all that by hand after I wasted about 3 hours with the OpenSuSe software “management”.
If I can not quickly solve the problem I will use another distro.
I know it will cost hours to learn details of installing grub.
I will try again to repair system using the DVD. Any other ideas that will probably help? I can not tell what the software “manager” changed from the critical parts of the system.
Thanks a lot in advance.

#2

Next time tou install a new kernel, configure grub to load it before you exit/reboot.
Your kernel has probably installed but grub won’t find it because the name has changed.
You shouold be able to recover by either editing grub directly or using the install disc to recover it.

#3

I finally managed to repair it. There were unresolved links vmlinuz and initrd pointing to the removed trace kernel. Obviously the kernel installation via software in YAST is buggy. The YAST scripts should not touch /boot as long as they are not properly tested from the user point of view.