VirtualBox Additions in a Slackware virtual

gmartin · 06-25-2008, 01:33 PM

Help me - I'm stupid!

I have Slack 12.1 running in a virtual. When i try to load the additions, I get and error that says

Code:

Please install the build and header files for your Linux kernel

I'm having no luck figuring out what needs to be installed. I have all 6 12.1 CD ISOs, but can't find the 2.6.24.5 headers anywhere. Where do I look for this and the build files?

T3slider · 06-25-2008, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmartin

Help me - I'm stupid!

Interesting way of starting your post.

(We're all a little stupid sometimes)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmartin

I'm having no luck figuring out what needs to be installed. I have all 6 12.1 CD ISOs, but can't find the 2.6.24.5 headers anywhere. Where do I look for this and the build files?

The kernel-headers-2.6.24.5_smp-x86-2.tgz package is located in the d/ series on CD number 1. I am assuming you're using the huge-smp or generic-smp kernel (the generic-smp kernel is recommended -- see CHANGES_AND_HINTS.TXT on the install CD or at your favourite mirror). If you insist on using the non-smp kernel, you will have to follow these instructions located in extra/linux-2.6.24.5-nosmp-sdk. If you are using the non-smp kernel and are getting that error, it is probably because the headers installed on the system (the kernel-headers-2.6.24.5_smp-x86-2 package) is setup for the SMP kernels. You would need to either switch to the SMP kernel (recommended) or install the non-smp kernel-headers-2.6.24.5-x86-2.tgz package in extra/linux-2.6.24.5-nosmp-sdk/ (the README in that directory suggests that this may or may not be required). You would also have to reconfigure the kernel source to support the non-SMP kernel instead of the SMP one by using the patch in the same directory.

gmartin · 06-25-2008, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T3slider

Interesting way of starting your post. ) (We're all a little stupid sometimes)

Well, that's my way of saying - I should be able to figure this out, but the hamsters are running as fast as they can and ...I got nothing.

Quote:

The kernel-headers-2.6.24.5_smp-x86-2.tgz package is located in the d/ series on CD number 1. I am assuming you're using the huge-smp or generic-smp kernel (the generic-smp kernel is recommended -- see CHANGES_AND_HINTS.TXT on the install CD or at your favourite mirror).

I am still using the default kernel (huge-smp) in this vm, so I should be good...
So I loaded the package and now when I build (this is good, I'm getting further) I am referred to the log file that says:

Code:

ERROR: Kernel configuration is invalid
include/linux/autoconf.h or auto.conf are missing

Any thoughts?

T3slider · 06-25-2008, 05:09 PM

I will start by saying that some older versions of VirtualBox break with newer kernels -- so make sure you're using the latest VirtualBox. That specific error is ambiguous. Sometimes it means that your kernel sources are hosed (make sure the kernel sources are installed -- `ls /var/log/packages | grep kernel-source-2.6.24.5_smp-noarch-2` should return something). Make sure that /usr/src/linux-2.6.24.5/include/linux/autoconf.h exists. Beyond that, I don't know enough to help you. If your kernel source is hosed, you could run `make oldconfig && make prepare` on the kernel sources, but that's probably not the problem (and it's not the best solution either).

gmartin · 06-25-2008, 05:20 PM

OK, so I ran make xconfig and make prepare and am no longer getting the auto.conf error. Now i'm onto this error:

Code:

WARNING: Symbol version dump ... Module.symvers
         is missing; module will have no dependencies and modversions.

and further down

Code:

bin/sh scripts/mod/modpost: No such file or directory
make [2]: ***[_modpost] Error 127
make [1]: ***[_modules] Error 2
make: ***[vboxadd_test] Error 2

gmartin · 06-25-2008, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T3slider

I will start by saying that some older versions of VirtualBox break with newer kernels -- so make sure you're using the latest VirtualBox. That specific error is ambiguous. Sometimes it means that your kernel sources are hosed (make sure the kernel sources are installed -- `ls /var/log/packages | grep kernel-source-2.6.24.5_smp-noarch-2` should return something).

DING! DING! Give that man a virtual beer. I didn't have the kernel sources installed. I found them on disk 2 of the Slackware ISOs in /slackware/k. As this is a virtual, I believe I skipped install of the kernel source to save disk space. Earlier you had mentioned the kernel-headers and that was the first problem. Too bad the VBOX install script can't check for this too.

I appreciate the help T3.

T3slider · 06-25-2008, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmartin

Give that man a virtual beer.

Much appreciated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmartin

I appreciate the help T3.

No problem. If you need help in the future, just ask.