[vbox-dev] Cannot compile VirtualBox 5.1.30 without access to kernel sources (regression since 5.1.12)

[Sérgio Basto]

On Fri, 2018-01-05 at 20:10 +0100, Ulrich Gemkow wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> VirtualBox 5.1.30 can no longer be compiled when the kernel sources
> are not available during the build. The compile fails with the error
> 
> -- kBuild: Installing /lnc/build/apps/make/VirtualBox-
> 5.1.30/out/linux.amd64/release/misc-staging/rdesktop-1.8.3-
> vrdp/include/iprt/linux/sysfs.h
> kBuild: Installing /lnc/build/apps/make/VirtualBox-
> 5.1.30/out/linux.amd64/release/misc-staging/rdesktop-1.8.3-
> vrdp/include/iprt/list.h
> /lnc/build/apps/make/VirtualBox-
> 5.1.30/out/linux.amd64/release/obj/tstguest_mod/vboxguest/Makefile.in
> clude.header:112: *** Error: unable to find the sources of your
> current Linux kernel. Specify KERN_DIR=<directory> and run Make
> again.  Stop.
> make[1]: Leaving directory '/lnc/build/apps/make/VirtualBox-
> 5.1.30/out/linux.amd64/release/obj/tstguest_mod/vboxguest'
                                     ^^^^^^^   

I checked my configuration and do not have kernel sources but I also
disable testcases [1] . Seems to me the regression it is in tst (test
cases) . 


[1]
kmk VBOX_WITH_TESTCASES= 

> kBuild: Installing /lnc/build/apps/make/VirtualBox-
> 5.1.30/out/linux.amd64/release/misc-staging/rdesktop-1.8.3-
> vrdp/include/iprt/lockvalidator.h



> Makefile:30: recipe for target 'all' failed
> 
> configure is called with the following parameters:
> 
> ./configure --disable-kmods --disable-pulse --disable-alsa --disable-
> hardening --disable-opengl --disable-dbus --disable-docs --disable-
> python --disable-java --disable-libvpx
> 
> The compile host is a modified Ubuntu 16.04 with a vanilla kernel
> Linux 4.9.
> 
> The error did not happen when compiling 5.1.12 in exact the
> same configuration, so this is a regression.
> 
> IMHO it should be possible to compile VirtualBox without access
> to the kernel sources when --disable-kmods is given - not only
> for security reasons.



> Thanks and best regards
> 
> Ulrich
> 
-- 
Sérgio M. B.