Hard to build Linux kernel 2.6.26

My interest in Linux kernel has been revamped after attending a training session on "Linux Kernel debugging" from "arts-lab.com". Hence i have downloaded the latest Linux kernel 2.6.26 from
and tried to build it. It was successfully compiled with all modules. Commands to compile any kernel are as follows.

1) Go inside the kernel source code directory.
2) Create .config file by setting proper kernel configuration with
"make menuconfig"
3) "make bzImage" -- To build the kernel.
4) "make modules" -- To build depended module drivers (.ko file in 2.6 kernel)
5) "make modules_install" -- To install module drivers(.ko files) in
/lib/modules/ directory
6) Now we need to copy bzImage and initrd to /boot location. Do as follows from
kernel source directory.
"cp arch/x86/boot/bzImage" /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.26

7) Create initrd as follows.
"mkinitrd "
e.g. "mkinitrd initrd-2.6.26.img 2.6.26" -- In fedora syntax.

8) Now copy it in boot location using the command
"cp initrd-2.6.26.img /boot/"

9) We need to modify the grub.conf file to boot into the new kernel.

10) So, we are ready to boot into new kernel. Just rebooted and i got stuck :-(
Got an unrecognizable error, didn't understand. Need to look into it...