re-compile kernel (2.6.15-26-386)

I've heard that ISA support isn't compiled into 2.6 kernels. I would like to. I have not much experience compiling things and I've only re-compiled a kernal once (during a seminar). Could I ask for help from someone?
On a possibly related issue my USB ports are no longer working. The computer sees the ports but they aren't active (as seen below).
-I have an alsa sound card
-Here are some specs I can easily get:
bmike1@0[~]$ sudo lspci -v
0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C598 [Apollo MVP3] (rev 04)
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 16
Memory at d8000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=64M]
Capabilities: [a0] AGP version 1.0

0000:00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C598/694x [Apollo MVP3/Pro133x AGP] (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0
Memory behind bridge: dc000000-ddffffff
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: d0000000-d7ffffff

0000:00:07.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586/A/B PCI-to-ISA [Apollo VP] (rev 47)
Subsystem: VIA Technologies, Inc. MVP3 ISA Bridge
Flags: bus master, stepping, medium devsel, latency 0

0000:00:07.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP])
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32
I/O ports at d000 [size=16]

0000:00:07.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
Subsystem: VIA Technologies, Inc. (Wrong ID) USB Controller
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 11
I/O ports at d400 [size=32]

0000:00:07.3 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586B ACPI (rev 10)
Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 9

0000:00:0a.0 Serial controller: 3Com Corp, Modem Division 56K FaxModem Model 5610 (rev 01) (prog-if 02 [16550])
Subsystem: 3Com Corp, Modem Division: Unknown device 00d3
Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 11
I/O ports at d800 [size=8]
Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 2

0000:00:0b.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82557/8/9 [Ethernet Pro 100] (rev 05)
Subsystem: Compaq Computer Corporation NC3121 Fast Ethernet NIC (WOL)
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 11
Memory at df100000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=4K]
I/O ports at dc00 [size=32]
Memory at df000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1M]
Expansion ROM at 20000000 [disabled] [size=1M]
Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 1

0000:00:0c.0 SCSI storage controller: Adaptec AHA-2940U/UW/D / AIC-7881U
Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 11
I/O ports at e000 [disabled] [size=256]
Memory at df101000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Expansion ROM at 20100000 [disabled] [size=64K]

0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV10 [GeForce 256 SDR] (rev 10) (prog-if 00 [VGA])
Subsystem: Elsa AG Erazor X
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 10
Memory at dc000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
Memory at d0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]
Expansion ROM at dd000000 [disabled] [size=64K]
Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 1
Capabilities: [44] AGP version 2.0

bmike1@0[~]$ sudo lsusb -v

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Device Descriptor:
bLength 18
bDescriptorType 1
bcdUSB 1.10
bDeviceClass 9 Hub
bDeviceSubClass 0 Unused
bDeviceProtocol 0
bMaxPacketSize0 64
idVendor 0x0000
idProduct 0x0000
bcdDevice 2.06
iManufacturer 3 Linux 2.6.15-26-386 uhci_hcd
iProduct 2 UHCI Host Controller
iSerial 1 0000:00:07.2
bNumConfigurations 1
Configuration Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 2
wTotalLength 25
bNumInterfaces 1
bConfigurationValue 1
iConfiguration 0
bmAttributes 0xc0
Self Powered
MaxPower 0mA
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 0
bNumEndpoints 1
bInterfaceClass 9 Hub
bInterfaceSubClass 0 Unused
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
bmAttributes 3
Transfer Type Interrupt
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0002 1x 2 bytes
bInterval 255
Hub Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 41
nNbrPorts 2
wHubCharacteristic 0x000a
No power switching (usb 1.0)
Per-port overcurrent protection
bPwrOn2PwrGood 1 * 2 milli seconds
bHubContrCurrent 0 milli Ampere
DeviceRemovable 0x48
PortPwrCtrlMask 0xc0
Hub Port Status:
Port 1: 0000.0301 lowspeed power connect
Port 2: 0000.0100 power
Device Status: 0x0001
Self Powered
bmike1@0[~]$ sudo uname -r
2.6.15-26-386
bmike1@0[~]$ sudo cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor : 0
vendor_id : AuthenticAMD
cpu family : 5
model : 8
model name : AMD-K6(tm) 3D processor
stepping : 12
cpu MHz : 501.207
cache size : 64 KB
fdiv_bug : no
hlt_bug : no
f00f_bug : no
coma_bug : no
fpu : yes
fpu_exception : yes
cpuid level : 1
wp : yes
flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr mce cx8 pge mmx syscall 3dnow k6_mtrr
bogomips : 1003.33

bmike1@0[~]$ sudo cat /proc/meminfo
MemTotal: 385264 kB
MemFree: 2824 kB
Buffers: 4292 kB
Cached: 125488 kB
SwapCached: 1000 kB
Active: 310048 kB
Inactive: 45468 kB
HighTotal: 0 kB
HighFree: 0 kB
LowTotal: 385264 kB
LowFree: 2824 kB
SwapTotal: 1025000 kB
SwapFree: 967752 kB
Dirty: 18616 kB
Writeback: 0 kB
Mapped: 282856 kB
Slab: 19048 kB
CommitLimit: 1217632 kB
Committed_AS: 3256624 kB
PageTables: 3596 kB
VmallocTotal: 638968 kB
VmallocUsed: 6576 kB
VmallocChunk: 632288 kB
bmike1@0[~]$