virtualbox-dkms: fix alloc_netdev problems when compiling with 3.17.0-rcX headers

Intro

Because of my bug hunting approach of using latest kernel I experienced problem with compiling VirtualBox modules with 3.17.0-rc5 version on my Debian Jessie. Issue is well known and described for examples here. Problem manifest itself with:

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------------------------------
Deleting module version: 4.3.14
completely from the DKMS tree.
------------------------------
Done.
Loading new virtualbox-4.3.14 DKMS files...
Building only for 3.17.0-rc5+
Building initial module for 3.17.0-rc5+
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 3.17.0-rc5+ (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/make.log for more information.
Job for virtualbox.service failed. See 'systemctl status virtualbox.service' and 'journalctl -xn' for details.
invoke-rc.d: initscript virtualbox, action "restart" failed.

during virtualbox-dkms package installation or reconfiguration. In make.log you will find compilation error:

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  CC [M]  /var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/vboxnetadp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.o
/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/vboxnetadp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.c: In function ‘vboxNetAdpOsCreate’:
/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/vboxnetadp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.c:186:48: error: macro "alloc_netdev" requires 4 arguments, but only 3 given
                            vboxNetAdpNetDevInit);
                                                ^
/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/vboxnetadp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.c:184:15: error: ‘alloc_netdev’ undeclared (first use in this function)
     pNetDev = alloc_netdev(sizeof(VBOXNETADPPRIV),
               ^
/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/vboxnetadp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.c:184:15: note: each undeclared identifier is reported only once for each function it appears in
/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/vboxnetadp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.c: At top level:
/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/vboxnetadp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.c:159:13: warning: ‘vboxNetAdpNetDevInit’ defined but not used [-Wunused-function]
 static void vboxNetAdpNetDevInit(struct net_device *pNetDev)
             ^
scripts/Makefile.build:257: recipe for target '/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/vboxnetadp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.o' failed
make[2]: *** [/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/vboxnetadp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.o] Error 1
scripts/Makefile.build:404: recipe for target '/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/vboxnetadp' failed
make[1]: *** [/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build/vboxnetadp] Error 2
Makefile:1373: recipe for target '_module_/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build' failed
make: *** [_module_/var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/4.3.14/build] Error 2
make: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-3.17.0-rc5+'

For sure we have to wait for some time before new version of kernel and VirtualBox will catch up each other in Debian.

Fix source code of Debian package

Let’s get get virtualbox package source, fix issues rebuild package and install in the system. Patch to apply can be found here.

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apt-get source virtualbox-dkms
cd virtualbox-4.3.14-dfsg

Now we can patch the sources with:

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diff --git a/src/VBox/HostDrivers/VBoxNetAdp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.c b/src/VBox/HostDrivers/VBoxNetAdp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.c
index c6b21a9cc199..9ccce6f32218 100644
--- a/src/VBox/HostDrivers/VBoxNetAdp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.c
+++ b/src/VBox/HostDrivers/VBoxNetAdp/linux/VBoxNetAdp-linux.c
@@ -52,6 +52,25 @@

 #define VBOXNETADP_FROM_IFACE(iface) ((PVBOXNETADP) ifnet_softc(iface))

+/*******************************
+source for the 4th parameter alloc_netdev fix for kernel 3.17-rc1 is:
+https://github.com/proski/madwifi/commit/c5246021b7b8580c2aeb0a145903acc07d246ac1
+*/
+#ifndef NET_NAME_UNKNOWN
+#undef alloc_netdev
+#if LINUX_VERSION_CODE < KERNEL_VERSION(2,6,23)
+#define alloc_netdev(sizeof_priv, name, name_assign_type, setup) \
+  alloc_netdev(sizeof_priv, name, setup)
+#elif LINUX_VERSION_CODE < KERNEL_VERSION(2,6,38)
+#define alloc_netdev(sizeof_priv, name, name_assign_type, setup) \
+  alloc_netdev_mq(sizeof_priv, name, setup, 1)
+#else
+#define alloc_netdev(sizeof_priv, name, name_assign_type, setup) \
+  alloc_netdev_mqs(sizeof_priv, name, setup, 1, 1)
+#endif
+#endif
+/*******************************/
+
 /*******************************************************************************
 *   Internal Functions                                                         *
 *******************************************************************************/
@@ -183,6 +202,7 @@ int vboxNetAdpOsCreate(PVBOXNETADP pThis, PCRTMAC pMACAddress)
     /* No need for private data. */
     pNetDev = alloc_netdev(sizeof(VBOXNETADPPRIV),
                            pThis->szName[0] ? pThis->szName : VBOXNETADP_LINUX_NAME,
+                           NET_NAME_UNKNOWN,
                            vboxNetAdpNetDevInit);
     if (pNetDev)
     {
diff --git a/src/VBox/Runtime/r0drv/linux/alloc-r0drv-linux.c b/src/VBox/Runtime/r0drv/linux/alloc-r0drv-linux.c
index 21e124bda039..2a046a3b254a 100644
--- a/src/VBox/Runtime/r0drv/linux/alloc-r0drv-linux.c
+++ b/src/VBox/Runtime/r0drv/linux/alloc-r0drv-linux.c
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ static PRTMEMHDR rtR0MemAllocExecVmArea(size_t cb)
         struct page **papPagesIterator = papPages;
         pVmArea->nr_pages = cPages;
         pVmArea->pages    = papPages;
-        if (!map_vm_area(pVmArea, PAGE_KERNEL_EXEC, &papPagesIterator))
+        if (!map_vm_area(pVmArea, PAGE_KERNEL_EXEC, papPagesIterator))
         {
             PRTMEMLNXHDREX pHdrEx = (PRTMEMLNXHDREX)pVmArea->addr;
             pHdrEx->pVmArea     = pVmArea;

Assuming you save above code in my_patch file and you are in virtualbox dpkg source directory:

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patch -p1 < my_patch

Install packages required to build:

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sudo apt-get build-dep virtualbox

And build with:

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dpkg-buildpackage -uc -b

In result we should get all virtualbox packages. We need only dkms:

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sudo dpkg -i ../virtualbox-dkms_4.3.14-dfsg-1_all.deb

(Reading database ... 432638 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../virtualbox-dkms_4.3.14-dfsg-1_all.deb ...

------------------------------
Deleting module version: 4.3.14
completely from the DKMS tree.
------------------------------
Done.
Unpacking virtualbox-dkms (4.3.14-dfsg-1) over (4.3.14-dfsg-1) ...
Setting up virtualbox-dkms (4.3.14-dfsg-1) ...
Loading new virtualbox-4.3.14 DKMS files...
Building only for 3.17.0-rc5+
Building initial module for 3.17.0-rc5+
Done.

vboxdrv:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/3.17.0-rc5+/updates/dkms/

vboxnetadp.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/3.17.0-rc5+/updates/dkms/

vboxnetflt.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/3.17.0-rc5+/updates/dkms/

vboxpci.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/3.17.0-rc5+/updates/dkms/

sed: -e expression #1, char 6: unknown command: `m'
depmod....

DKMS: install completed.`

And we can happily use VirtualBox with 3.17.0-rc5 kernel.

Piotr Król
Founder of 3mdeb, a passionate advocate for open-source firmware solutions, driven by a belief in transparency, innovation, and trustworthiness. Every day is a new opportunity to embody the company's vision, emphasizing user liberty, simplicity, and privacy. Beyond business, a casual chess and bridge player, finding peace in nature and nourishment in theology, philosophy, and psychology. A person striving to foster a healthy community, grounded in collaboration and shared growth, while nurturing a lifelong curiosity and a desire to deeply understand the world.

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