problems with new speakup kernel compilation using 2.4.27 source

[Sean McMahon]

I'm using kernel-package to do some of the work for me on this, but I ran the
checkout script after the downloading of the kernel-source package and untarring
and so forth, did a make config using my working kernel configuration file,
built the kernel image and installed the kernel image successfuly.  Problem is
the kernel has some kind of panic at boot up and my braille-lite gets interupted
when it tries to speak.  The kernel does not boot.  To make sure it is not my
synth in this instance, I booted up with my old kernel and speach was normal.
What did I forget in the new kernel compilation.  How do I answer the questions
reguarding serial support?  I compiled in the bns driver and said y to make it
the default, or rather typed in bns as the default string.  How can I review the
message produced from a failing kernel if I have to turn the machine off then
re-boot under another kernel?  Can I some how boot under a different kernel if
one gives me a panic?  If any of you need to see further information, I can post
the kernel config file to my website and post the url here for further
investigation.  Please let me know if that will help.
thanks
Sean