Reminder: vboxsf fails to install on any Red Hat Linux

[socratis]

Is CentOS 6.10 similar to RHEL 6.10? Generally speaking, if I want to test a failure in RHEL x.y, is it OK if I get CentOS x.y? Is it a 1-to-1 relationship?

[stes]

My understanding is that CentOS is similar but not entirely the same as "IBM Red Hat" RHEL or Oracle Linux or Scientific Linux etc.

There are differences and subtle issues may cause the relationship not be entirely 1-to-1 ... So my understanding is that CentOS is a good check/ testcase but not always 100% certainly the same, but in any case a very close match.

Also the fact that VirtualBox distributes a build script instead of installable modules is due to slight or big differences between those distributions ... so that is - I suppose - the reasoning behind distributing a build script.

Anyway on CentOS 6.10 I can *reproduce* the problem that was reported, and by making the change to explicitely include seq_file.h as suggested (the patch) that fixes it, but unsure whether it is the right solution (would require new testing).

Presumably this is due to the Linux header files including somehow <linux/seq_file.h> automatically on 7.5 and 7.6 ... i.e, something that is included already includes linux/seq_file.h on 7.5 but not on 6.10.

So indeed it seems the vboxsf of virtualbox 6.0.0r3 currently *fails* to compile on kernel 2.6.32-754.el6 of RedHat or should I say of IBM Red Hat now ...

[Technologov]

>There are differences

There are NO differences. They are 100% clones, except the brand name AFAIK.
And it used to work great with older VBox 5.0 and 4.1.6.

[stes]

In any case what matters is that if one finds that there is a problem on Oracle Linux or CentOS of similar kernel or version as RHEL then that's a good indication that there may also be a problem with IBM RHEL itself ... although it could potentially still be different (which in this case it's not as the #include problem is also reported on RHEL 6.10).

So far it seems that VirtualBox guest additions 6.0.0r3 compile fine on RHEL 7.5 and CentOS 7.6 but seem to fail to compile on CentOS 6.10 due to differences in the /usr/src/kernels include/linux header files or Virtualbox includes.

[michael]

Builds fine here against 2.6.32-754.9.1.el6.x86_64 from OL6. Anything which might be different about yours? Can you try with a freshly installed guest?

[stes]

builderror-ol6.10.png (14.09 KiB) Viewed 790 times

I tried with a fresh install (the CentOS was a fresh install as well, by the way) of Oracle Linux, and I'm also getting an error on Oracle Linux Server 6.10. A possible difference is that it's with the 2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64 kernel.
See screenshot. I'm missing some package perhaps or something else ...
I didn't try with 2.6.32-754.9.1.el6 only with 2.6.32-754.el6

[socratis]

In the previous screenshot (with the error while compiling on Oracle Linux 6.10) I didn't configure the hostname,
I have now configured the hostname but still get the same error .

The error is due to an #include problem it seems, that doesn't happen on RHEL 7.5 orCentOS 7.6 where the Linux header files seem to #include the necessary headers.

Here's the exact error on
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Building the modules for kernel 2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64.
with Oracle Linux 6.10

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[root@moon ~]# /sbin/rcvboxadd setup
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Building the VirtualBox Guest Additions kernel modules.  This may take a while.
VirtualBox Guest Additions: To build modules for other installed kernels, run
VirtualBox Guest Additions:   /sbin/rcvboxadd quicksetup <version>
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Building the modules for kernel 2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64.

VirtualBox Guest Additions: Look at /var/log/vboxadd-setup.log to find out what went wrong
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Running kernel modules will not be replaced until the system is restarted
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Starting.
VirtualBox Guest Additions: modprobe vboxsf failed
[root@moon ~]# cat /var/log/vboxadd-setup.log
Building the main Guest Additions module for kernel 2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64.
Building the shared folder support module.
Error building the module.  Build output follows.
make V=1 CONFIG_MODULE_SIG= -C /lib/modules/2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64/build SUBDIRS=/tmp/vbox.0 SRCROOT=/tmp/vbox.0 -j1 modules
test -e include/linux/autoconf.h -a -e include/config/auto.conf || (      \
   echo;                        \
   echo "  ERROR: Kernel configuration is invalid.";      \
   echo "         include/linux/autoconf.h or include/config/auto.conf are missing.";   \
   echo "         Run 'make oldconfig && make prepare' on kernel src to fix it.";   \
   echo;                        \
   /bin/false)
mkdir -p /tmp/vbox.0/.tmp_versions ; rm -f /tmp/vbox.0/.tmp_versions/*
make -f scripts/Makefile.build obj=/tmp/vbox.0
  gcc -Wp,-MD,/tmp/vbox.0/.vfsmod.o.d  -nostdinc -isystem /usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/4.4.7/include -Iinclude  -I/usr/src/kernels/2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64/include/uapi -I/usr/src/kernels/2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64/arch/x86/include -Iarch/include/generated -Iinclude -include /usr/src/kernels/2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64/include/linux/kconfig.h -D__KERNEL__ -Wall -Wundef -Wstrict-prototypes -Wno-trigraphs -fno-strict-aliasing -fno-common -Werror-implicit-function-declaration -Wno-format-security -fno-delete-null-pointer-checks -O2 -m64 -mtune=generic -mno-red-zone -mcmodel=kernel -funit-at-a-time -maccumulate-outgoing-args -fstack-protector -DCONFIG_AS_CFI=1 -DCONFIG_AS_CFI_SIGNAL_FRAME=1 -DCONFIG_AS_CFI_SECTIONS=1 -DCONFIG_AS_AVX=1 -pipe -Wno-sign-compare -fno-asynchronous-unwind-tables -mno-sse -mno-mmx -mno-sse2 -mno-3dnow -mindirect-branch=thunk-extern -mindirect-branch-register -DRETPOLINE -Wframe-larger-than=2048 -Wno-unused-but-set-variable -fno-omit-frame-pointer -fno-optimize-sibling-calls -g -pg -Wdeclaration-after-statement -Wno-pointer-sign -fno-strict-overflow -fno-dwarf2-cfi-asm -fconserve-stack -Wno-declaration-after-statement -fshort-wchar -include /tmp/vbox.0/include/VBox/VBoxGuestMangling.h -fno-pie -I/lib/modules/2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64/build/include -I/tmp/vbox.0/ -I/tmp/vbox.0/include -I/tmp/vbox.0/r0drv/linux -I/tmp/vbox.0/vboxsf/ -I/tmp/vbox.0/vboxsf/include -I/tmp/vbox.0/vboxsf/r0drv/linux -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DRT_OS_LINUX -DIN_RING0 -DIN_RT_R0 -DIN_SUP_R0 -DVBOX -DVBOX_WITH_HGCM -DIN_MODULE -DIN_GUEST_R0 -DRT_NO_EXPORT_SYMBOL -DRT_ARCH_AMD64 -DVBOX_WITH_64_BITS_GUESTS  -DMODULE -D"KBUILD_STR(s)=#s" -D"KBUILD_BASENAME=KBUILD_STR(vfsmod)"  -D"KBUILD_MODNAME=KBUILD_STR(vboxsf)" -D"DEBUG_HASH=41" -D"DEBUG_HASH2=24" -c -o /tmp/vbox.0/.tmp_vfsmod.o /tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c: In function ‘sf_show_options’:
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:509: error: dereferencing pointer to incomplete type
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:515: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_printf’
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:518: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_puts’
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:519: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_escape’
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vbox.0] Error 2
make: *** [vboxsf] Error 2
Could not find the X.Org or XFree86 Window System, skipping.

[Technologov]

I'm using a new clean image of RHEL 6.0, without any updates. Sure I can update to the latest but it won't solve problems with RHEL3,4,5.

[stes]

I updated the freshly installed Oracle Linux 6.10 guest from kernel 2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64 to 2.6.32-754.9.1.el6.x86_64:

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[root@moon ~]# rpm -qa | grep kernel-devel
kernel-devel-2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64
kernel-devel-2.6.32-754.9.1.el6.x86_64


However that's not it, still get the build error on kernel-devel-2.6.32-754.9.1.el6.x86_64

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/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c: In function ‘sf_show_options’:
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:509: error: dereferencing pointer to incomplete type
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:515: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_printf’
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:518: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_puts’
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:519: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_escape’


Assuming that it works on other guests running kernel-devel-2.6.32-754.9.1.el6.x86_64 (as reported) then I suspect I have to try different install options.

I usually like to install "minimal" operating systems instead of "full complete all software" installations, maybe some other components are somehow missing ...

[socratis]

I usually like to install "minimal" operating systems instead of "full complete all software" installations, maybe some other components are somehow missing ...

Try to add the Development/Developer (can't remember) option.

[stes]

I reinstalled again "a fresh install" with Full Development Server checked.

Personally I'd prefer to use a "minimal" fresh install with as few packages installed as possible, but just to give it a try ... I did the install again with the "full" development server checked.

Also I unchecked UEK Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel thinking that maybe the presence of the UEK kernel packages somehow interferes with the build process ... (the previous test also had the UEK Linux kernel installed).

Unfortunately with the full development server option, it still has the #include problem

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[root@moon ~]# rpm -qa | grep kernel
libreport-plugin-kerneloops-2.0.9-34.0.1.el6.x86_64
abrt-addon-kerneloops-2.0.8-44.0.1.el6.x86_64
kernel-2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64
kernel-devel-2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64
dracut-kernel-004-411.0.1.el6.noarch
kernel-headers-2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64
kernel-firmware-2.6.32-754.el6.noarch
[root@moon ~]# rpm -q gcc make perl
gcc-4.4.7-23.0.1.el6.x86_64
make-3.81-23.el6.x86_64
perl-5.10.1-144.el6.x86_64


the error still is

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[root@moon vboxsf]# /sbin/rcvboxadd setup
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Building the VirtualBox Guest Additions kernel modules.  This may take a while.
VirtualBox Guest Additions: To build modules for other installed kernels, run
VirtualBox Guest Additions:   /sbin/rcvboxadd quicksetup <version>
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Building the modules for kernel 2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64.

VirtualBox Guest Additions: Look at /var/log/vboxadd-setup.log to find out what went wrong
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Running kernel modules will not be replaced until the system is restarted
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Starting.
VirtualBox Guest Additions: modprobe vboxsf failed
[root@moon vboxsf]# cat /var/log/vboxadd-setup.log
Building the main Guest Additions module for kernel 2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64.
Building the shared folder support module.
Error building the module.  Build output follows.
make V=1 CONFIG_MODULE_SIG= -C /lib/modules/2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64/build SUBDIRS=/tmp/vbox.0 SRCROOT=/tmp/vbox.0 -j1 modules
test -e include/linux/autoconf.h -a -e include/config/auto.conf || (      \
   echo;                        \
   echo "  ERROR: Kernel configuration is invalid.";      \
   echo "         include/linux/autoconf.h or include/config/auto.conf are missing.";   \
   echo "         Run 'make oldconfig && make prepare' on kernel src to fix it.";   \
   echo;                        \
   /bin/false)
mkdir -p /tmp/vbox.0/.tmp_versions ; rm -f /tmp/vbox.0/.tmp_versions/*
make -f scripts/Makefile.build obj=/tmp/vbox.0
  gcc -Wp,-MD,/tmp/vbox.0/.vfsmod.o.d  -nostdinc -isystem /usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/4.4.7/include -Iinclude  -I/usr/src/kernels/2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64/include/uapi -I/usr/src/kernels/2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64/arch/x86/include -Iarch/include/generated -Iinclude -include /usr/src/kernels/2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64/include/linux/kconfig.h -D__KERNEL__ -Wall -Wundef -Wstrict-prototypes -Wno-trigraphs -fno-strict-aliasing -fno-common -Werror-implicit-function-declaration -Wno-format-security -fno-delete-null-pointer-checks -O2 -m64 -mtune=generic -mno-red-zone -mcmodel=kernel -funit-at-a-time -maccumulate-outgoing-args -fstack-protector -DCONFIG_AS_CFI=1 -DCONFIG_AS_CFI_SIGNAL_FRAME=1 -DCONFIG_AS_CFI_SECTIONS=1 -DCONFIG_AS_AVX=1 -pipe -Wno-sign-compare -fno-asynchronous-unwind-tables -mno-sse -mno-mmx -mno-sse2 -mno-3dnow -mindirect-branch=thunk-extern -mindirect-branch-register -DRETPOLINE -Wframe-larger-than=2048 -Wno-unused-but-set-variable -fno-omit-frame-pointer -fno-optimize-sibling-calls -g -pg -Wdeclaration-after-statement -Wno-pointer-sign -fno-strict-overflow -fno-dwarf2-cfi-asm -fconserve-stack -save-temps -Wno-declaration-after-statement -fshort-wchar -include /tmp/vbox.0/include/VBox/VBoxGuestMangling.h -fno-pie -I/lib/modules/2.6.32-754.el6.x86_64/build/include -I/tmp/vbox.0/ -I/tmp/vbox.0/include -I/tmp/vbox.0/r0drv/linux -I/tmp/vbox.0/vboxsf/ -I/tmp/vbox.0/vboxsf/include -I/tmp/vbox.0/vboxsf/r0drv/linux -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DRT_OS_LINUX -DIN_RING0 -DIN_RT_R0 -DIN_SUP_R0 -DVBOX -DVBOX_WITH_HGCM -DIN_MODULE -DIN_GUEST_R0 -DRT_NO_EXPORT_SYMBOL -DRT_ARCH_AMD64 -DVBOX_WITH_64_BITS_GUESTS  -DMODULE -D"KBUILD_STR(s)=#s" -D"KBUILD_BASENAME=KBUILD_STR(vfsmod)"  -D"KBUILD_MODNAME=KBUILD_STR(vboxsf)" -D"DEBUG_HASH=41" -D"DEBUG_HASH2=24" -c -o /tmp/vbox.0/.tmp_vfsmod.o /tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c
gcc: warning: -pipe ignored because -save-temps specified
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c: In function ‘sf_show_options’:
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:509: error: dereferencing pointer to incomplete type
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:515: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_printf’
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:518: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_puts’
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:519: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_escape’
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vbox.0] Error 2
make: *** [vboxsf] Error 2
Installing X.Org Server 1.17 modules
You may need to restart the Window System (or just restart the guest system)
to enable the Guest Additions.


[stes]

Also on Oracle Linux 6.10 32bit version same issue, at least with the install options "Basic Server" + manual install of kernel-devel and gcc, make and perl.

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[root@europa ~]# rpm -qa | grep kernel
kernel-firmware-2.6.32-754.el6.noarch
libreport-plugin-kerneloops-2.0.9-34.0.1.el6.i686
kernel-headers-2.6.32-754.el6.i686
dracut-kernel-004-411.0.1.el6.noarch
kernel-2.6.32-754.el6.i686
kernel-devel-2.6.32-754.el6.i686
abrt-addon-kerneloops-2.0.8-44.0.1.el6.i686
[root@europa ~]# rpm -q gcc make perl
gcc-4.4.7-23.0.1.el6.i686
make-3.81-23.el6.i686
perl-5.10.1-144.el6.i686


Seems to fail on

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Building the main Guest Additions module for kernel 2.6.32-754.el6.i686.
Building the shared folder support module.
Error building the module.  Build output follows.
make V=1 CONFIG_MODULE_SIG= -C /lib/modules/2.6.32-754.el6.i686/build SUBDIRS=/t
mp/vbox.0 SRCROOT=/tmp/vbox.0 -j1 modules
test -e include/linux/autoconf.h -a -e include/config/auto.conf || (           
\
        echo;                                                           \
        echo "  ERROR: Kernel configuration is invalid.";               \
        echo "         include/linux/autoconf.h or include/config/auto.conf are
missing.";      \
        echo "         Run 'make oldconfig && make prepare' on kernel src to fix
 it.";  \
        echo;                                                           \
        /bin/false)
mkdir -p /tmp/vbox.0/.tmp_versions ; rm -f /tmp/vbox.0/.tmp_versions/*
make -f scripts/Makefile.build obj=/tmp/vbox.0
  gcc -Wp,-MD,/tmp/vbox.0/.vfsmod.o.d  -nostdinc -isystem /usr/lib/gcc/i686-redh
at-linux/4.4.7/include -Iinclude  -I/usr/src/kernels/2.6.32-754.el6.i686/include
/uapi -I/usr/src/kernels/2.6.32-754.el6.i686/arch/x86/include -Iarch/include/gen
erated -Iinclude -include /usr/src/kernels/2.6.32-754.el6.i686/include/linux/kco
nfig.h -D__KERNEL__ -Wall -Wundef -Wstrict-prototypes -Wno-trigraphs -fno-strict
-aliasing -fno-common -Werror-implicit-function-declaration -Wno-format-security
 -fno-delete-null-pointer-checks -O2 -m32 -msoft-float -mregparm=3 -freg-struct-
return -mpreferred-stack-boundary=2 -march=i686 -mtune=generic -Wa,-mtune=generi
c32 -ffreestanding -fstack-protector -DCONFIG_AS_CFI=1 -DCONFIG_AS_CFI_SIGNAL_FR
AME=1 -DCONFIG_AS_CFI_SECTIONS=1 -DCONFIG_AS_AVX=1 -pipe -Wno-sign-compare -fno-
asynchronous-unwind-tables -mno-sse -mno-mmx -mno-sse2 -mno-3dnow -mindirect-bra
nch=thunk-extern -mindirect-branch-register -DRETPOLINE -Wframe-larger-than=1024
 -Wno-unused-but-set-variable -fomit-frame-pointer -g -Wdeclaration-after-statem
ent -Wno-pointer-sign -fno-strict-overflow -fno-dwarf2-cfi-asm -fconserve-stack
-Wno-declaration-after-statement -fshort-wchar -include /tmp/vbox.0/include/VBox
/VBoxGuestMangling.h -fno-pie -I/lib/modules/2.6.32-754.el6.i686/build/include -
I/tmp/vbox.0/ -I/tmp/vbox.0/include -I/tmp/vbox.0/r0drv/linux -I/tmp/vbox.0/vbox
sf/ -I/tmp/vbox.0/vboxsf/include -I/tmp/vbox.0/vboxsf/r0drv/linux -D__KERNEL__ -
DMODULE -DRT_OS_LINUX -DIN_RING0 -DIN_RT_R0 -DIN_SUP_R0 -DVBOX -DVBOX_WITH_HGCM
-DIN_MODULE -DIN_GUEST_R0 -DRT_NO_EXPORT_SYMBOL -DRT_ARCH_X86  -DMODULE -D"KBUIL
D_STR(s)=#s" -D"KBUILD_BASENAME=KBUILD_STR(vfsmod)"  -D"KBUILD_MODNAME=KBUILD_ST
R(vboxsf)" -D"DEBUG_HASH=41" -D"DEBUG_HASH2=24" -c -o /tmp/vbox.0/.tmp_vfsmod.o
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c: In function ‘sf_show_options’:
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:509: error: dereferencing pointer to incomplete type
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:515: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_printf’
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:518: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_puts’
/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.c:519: error: implicit declaration of function ‘seq_escape’
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vbox.0/vfsmod.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vbox.0] Error 2
make: *** [vboxsf] Error 2
Could not find the X.Org or XFree86 Window System, skipping.


[markos2680]

As @stes said, install "kernel-devel" package on RHEL 7.6 solved the problem, vboxsf now works fine on my RHEL 7.6 guest without modify GA's code .

But my RHEL 6.10 guest already installed "kernel-devel" package before, and still can't compile "vboxsf.ko", looks like gcc didn't include "seq_file.h" and "mount.h" automatically on RHEL 6, I don't know why but add following lines to "vfsmod.h" make it works on RHEL 6 guest without my previous patch.

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#include <linux/seq_file.h>
#include <linux/mount.h>


Works also for me
Host : Lubuntu 18.04
Guest : Oracle Linux 5.11
Files : /usr/src/kernels/<kernel>/include/linux/nfs.h

Add lines:
#include <linux/seq_file.h>
#include <linux/mount.h>

Sample:
#ifdef __KERNEL__
#include <linux/sunrpc/msg_prot.h>
#include <linux/string.h>

#include <linux/seq_file.h>
#include <linux/mount.h>

Thanks !

[michael]

Fixed Additions builds should be available on the test build page[1] in two hours or so.

[1] https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Testbuilds

[socratis]

@markos2680
Please don't post on the beta section now that the release is out. Either open a new thread in the appropriate section (Linux Guests), or find a similar one, like Install GuestAddition 6 on RHEL6 fail (#18249).

The fix that 'michael' talked about has already landed and it has been confirmed as working. Could you confirm too in the thread above please?