Kernel Checklist

1. [√] Make sure the filesystem type of your root partition is compiled into the kernel. To check what your root filesystem is type "mount".
2. [√] Check that your networking card is compiled as a module or compiled into the kernel.
3. [√] If you are using NVIDIA video card make sure you compile the AGP as a module
4. [√] The sound card is important for listening to music; module it, or compile it in.
5. [√] Another important thing that people miss out is the IDE chipset. This is important because you want to enable DMA on drives, and other important speed enhancements.
6. [√] If you are going to use a camera that requires usb mass storage compile in SCSI Generic and USB-Mass storage.
7. [√] Compile the sysfs feature in the kernel as that is an important for /sys. It is important for the 2.6 kernel.
8. [√] If you must have framebuffer make sure you compile it in with the appropriate things. If you get a black screen set lilo.conf to vga = normal, then mess with it later. Also for nvidia users the rivafb is broken on many cards, so do not compile it in because it effects the nvidia driver for X. So use the vesafb instead.
9. [√] Another useful tool that i use is the .config in /proc (A must have I think)
10. [√] ATA/ATAPI settings are also useful for people, might want to make sure your kernel has that.
11. [√] SATA/SCSI Make SURE YOU COMPILE it into the kernel and make sure you actually compile it in. If you have a SATA or SCSI hardware.
12. [√] Iptables modules if you are going to use iptables or make a firewall. I use modules:)
13. [√] I always recommend that in ALSA you compile or module OSS Emulation API
14. [√] APM or ACPI is always something you might want to enable. This is not a feature needed by the kernel but, some people might need its features.

Just a reminder that the root filesystem (SCSI/SATA/etc) should be compiled into the kernel for obvious reasons.