[vbox-dev] vboxdrv setup fails

[walt]

On 08/02/2009 11:12 AM, Markus Kesaromous wrote:
>
> Dear List,
> I am on FC11, kernel-2.6.29.6-213.fc11.i586.
> This kernel was built from source in order to enable the rt2860sta driver,
> which is by default disabled on the stock ditribution kernel.
> kerne-devel-2.6.29.6-213.fc11.i586.rpm  is installed as well as
> kerne-headers-2.6.29.6-213.fc11.i586.rpm
> I had installed installed VirtualBox-3.0.2_49928_fedora11-1.i586
> PRIOR to recompiling the kernel from source in order to enable rt2860sta driver.
>
> If I type service vboxdrv setup, the compilation proceeds without any problems.
>
> Now if i type service vbosdrv start, I get:
> # service vboxdrv start
> Starting VirtualBox kernel module                          [FAILED]
>    (modprobe vboxdrv failed. Please use 'dmesg' to find out why)
>
> dmesg does not reveal any messages regarding the starting or loading of the vboxdrv driver.
>
> If I do
>
> modproble -f vboxdrv
>
> I get:
>
>   modprobe -f vboxdrv
> FATAL: Error inserting vboxdrv (/lib/modules/2.6.29.6-213.fc11.i586/misc/vboxdrv.ko): Invalid module format
>
> So, I do not understand what the problem with the format is. All I can
> extract from the module is:
>
> # file /lib/modules/2.6.29.6-213.fc11.i586/misc/vboxdrv>
> /lib/modules/2.6.29.6-213.fc11.i586/misc/vboxdrv.ko: ELF 32-bit LSB relocatable, Intel 80386, version 1 (SYSV), not stripped
>
> This is the same info I get about the loaded drivers as well, i.e.:
> ELF 32-bit LSB relocatable, Intel 80386, version 1 (SYSV), not stripped
>
> So, what is this invalid format problem caused by?

Been a long time since I got that message, so I'm a bit vague now about the cause.

But I seem to recall that it may happen when your /usr/src/linux symlink is pointing
at the wrong kernel source, or missing altogether.  Or you changed your kernel config
between building the kernel and building the vbox module.  That's the class of error
that's easy to overlook.

I'd say, if in doubt, build both kernel and module again from scratch.  I think maybe
you have to use the same compiler for both, too.

> # uname -r
> 2.6.29.6-213.fc11.i586
>
> uname -a
> Linux localhost.localdomain 2.6.29.6-213.fc11.i586 #2 PREEMPT Sat Aug 1 23:17:53 PDT 2009 i686 athlon i386 GNU/Linux
>
> The PREEMPT is displayed because I chose a preemptible kernel option which helps improve interactive response time. The difference between
> preemptible kernel and non-preemptible kernel as far as response time is concerned, is noticeable on my uniprocessor laptop.

PREEMPT has never caused a problem for me, anyway.