Upgraded Kernel Won't Compile

[Max]

I am a newbie dual booting Windows & Linux (from Knoppix) & trying
to upgrade my kernel from 2.4.22-xfs to 2.4.25 or 2.6.3 but the new
kernel won't compile. It seems to work OK for awhile but then it ends
with an error. I have tried many times & I get slightly different errors
each time (usually "internal compiler error: Segmentation fault"). It
did work once but the kernel wouldn't boot (framebuffer console, VESA
& VGA16 options were not enabled). This is how 2 recent attempts ended:

In file included from include/linux/gfp.h:4,
                 from include/linux/slab.h:15,
                 from include/linux/percpu.h:4,
                 from include/linux/sched.h:31,
                 from include/linux/module.h:10,
                 from fs/nls/nls_cp852.c:10:
include/linux/mmzone.h:338: internal compiler error: Segmentation fault
Please submit a full bug report,
with preprocessed source if appropriate.
See <URL:http://gcc.gnu.org/bugs.html> for instructions.
make[3]: *** [fs/nls/nls_cp852.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** [fs/nls] Error 2
make[1]: *** [fs] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.3'
make: *** [stamp-build] Error 2

In file included from include/linux/device.h:22,
                 from include/linux/genhd.h:15,
                 from include/linux/blkdev.h:6,
                 from fs/hfs/super.c:31:
include/linux/pm.h:239: internal compiler error: Illegal instruction
Please submit a full bug report,
with preprocessed source if appropriate.
See <URL:http://gcc.gnu.org/bugs.html> for instructions.
make[3]: *** [fs/hfs/super.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** [fs/hfs] Error 2
make[1]: *** [fs] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.3'
make: *** [stamp-build] Error 2

I tried downgrading gcc from 3.3.3 to 2.95-4 but that didn't work either.
I couldn't find a package for 2.95-3 & I couldn't compile the 2.95-3
source. I was able to compile 2.6.3 using the Knoppix live CD but it
took an extremely long time & now I don't have sound, mouse scroll wheel
or usb support so I have to do it over again. Is there anything I can
do about this?
Max

[Max]

Well, I didn't get any replies to my question so after trying to install a precompiled kernel (kernel-image-2.6-386) which wouldn't boot I went to
http://developer.linuxtag.net/knoppix/i386/ & downloaded the file
kernel-image-2.4.23-xfs_10.00.Custom_i386.deb which installed & booted
OK. So I've upgraded my kernel slightly, sound works, the mouse scroll wheel works again & my externel usb drive will mount. I guess I'll just have to wait for kernel-image-2.6.3-xfs_10.00.Custom_i386.deb to show up.
Max