using defaults from older kernels

Probably not very good idea.
(I decided to retreat to "make defconfig" after it).

$ make xconfig
...
#
# using defaults found in /boot/config-2.4.20-ck3
#
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:23: trying to assign nonexistent symbol LOLAT
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:24: trying to assign nonexistent symbol LOLAT_SYSCTL
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:50: trying to assign nonexistent symbol X86_HAS_TSC
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:52: trying to assign nonexistent symbol X86_PGE
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:54: trying to assign nonexistent symbol X86_F00F_WORKS_OK
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:158: trying to assign nonexistent symbol BLK_STATS
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:180: trying to assign nonexistent symbol FILTER
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:318: trying to assign nonexistent symbol BLK_DEV_IDETAPE
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:356: trying to assign nonexistent symbol PIIX_TUNING
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:385: trying to assign nonexistent symbol SD_EXTRA_DEVS
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:390: trying to assign nonexistent symbol SR_EXTRA_DEVS
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:624: trying to assign nonexistent symbol INPUT_KEYBDEV
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:636: trying to assign nonexistent symbol SERIAL
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:637: trying to assign nonexistent symbol SERIAL_CONSOLE
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:638: trying to assign nonexistent symbol SERIAL_EXTENDED
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:640: trying to assign nonexistent symbol SERIAL_SHARE_IRQ
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:660: trying to assign nonexistent symbol MOUSE
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:661: trying to assign nonexistent symbol PSMOUSE
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:726: trying to assign nonexistent symbol INTEL_RNG
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:741: trying to assign nonexistent symbol AGP_I810
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:960: trying to assign nonexistent symbol USB_UHCI
/boot/config-2.4.20-ck3:961: trying to assign nonexistent symbol USB_UHCI_ALT

$ head Makefile
VERSION = 2
PATCHLEVEL = 6
SUBLEVEL = 0
EXTRAVERSION = -test1

P.S.
boolean symbol BINFMT_ZFLAT tested for 'm'? test forced to 'n'

Why not use make oldconfig?

David Zaffiro, Thu, Jul 24, 2003 17:31:22 +0200:

Because it does not make any difference. It will start with the bogus /boot/config... anyway.