Is there a way to make a fedora core 2 install with the 3w-9xxx drivers and newer kernel then the default? like a way to replace the current files on the install with a newer kernel and newer drivers because i canot for the life of me get the 3w-9xxx drivers to load after the install and i have fallowed the directions on the 3ware site but it just doesn't work for me for some odd reason, and i cant seem to find any tech shops in chicago that know enough about linux to fix it.

I looked at the 3ware site and I don't see any drivers specifically for FC2 ... are you trying to use the 2.6 kernel drivers?

I will see if I can get the 2.6 Kernel drivers to compile on FC2 with a 2.6.8-1.521 kernel

OK ... I found a build script and I am trying to build the driver right now for the above kernel.

If it works, I will have a 3w-9xxx.ko for the FC2 2.6.8-1.521 kernel.

Actually, my FC2 2.6.8-1.521 kernel already has a 3w-9xxx.ko driver ... modinfo says this:

The driver seems to be the same ... I followed the info in Q11843 of the FAQ from here:
http://www.3ware.com/KB/kb.asp

you can download the whole /home/build directory I got after running ./Build-3w-driver.pl -s 3w-9xxx.tgz from here:
http://www.hughesjr.com/fc2/3w-9xxx-FC2.tgz

But, I think if you install the 2.6.8-1.521 kernel, the included module will work without any other requirements.