Compiling VirtualBox kernel headers

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1 
System:
  Kernel: 6.15.8-arch1-1 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 15.1.1
    clocksource: tsc avail: acpi_pm parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux
    root=UUID=6a135e81-5d37-4390-8a10-a9eef293c0d9 rw rootflags=subvol=@
    quiet splash rd.udev.log_priority=3 vt.global_cursor_default=0
    systemd.unified_cgroup_hierarchy=1 loglevel=3 ibt=off
  Desktop: Cinnamon v: 6.4.10 tk: GTK v: 3.24.49 wm: Muffin v: 6.4.1 tools:
    avail: cinnamon-screensaver,xautolock dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0 Distro: Garuda
    base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Acer product: Aspire A515-54G v: V1.24 serial: <filter>
  Mobo: CML model: Doc_WC v: V1.24 serial: <filter>
    part-nu: 0000000000000000 uuid: 037c3063-09ba-644e-866b-b4a9fc789a49
    UEFI: Insyde v: 1.24 date: 07/07/2021
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 16.9 Wh (100.0%) condition: 16.9/48.9 Wh (34.5%)
    volts: 15.8 min: 15.2 model: LGC AC14B8K type: Li-ion serial: <filter>
    status: full
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i5-10210U socket: BGA1528 (U3E1) note: check
    bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Comet/Whiskey Lake note: check gen: core 10
    level: v3 note: check built: 2018 process: Intel 14nm family: 6
    model-id: 0x8E (142) stepping: 0xC (12) microcode: 0x100
  Topology: cpus: 1x dies: 1 clusters: 4 cores: 4 threads: 8 tpc: 2
    smt: enabled cache: L1: 256 KiB desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x32 KiB L2: 1024 KiB
    desc: 4x256 KiB L3: 6 MiB desc: 1x6 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 400 min/max: 400/4200 base/boost: 1584/8300 scaling:
    driver: intel_pstate governor: powersave volts: 0.8 V ext-clock: 100 MHz
    cores: 1: 400 2: 400 3: 400 4: 400 5: 400 6: 400 7: 400 8: 400
    bogomips: 33599
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel CometLake-U GT2 [UHD Graphics] vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI
    driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-9.5 process: Intel 14nm built: 2016-20
    ports: active: eDP-1 empty: HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:9b41
    class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: NVIDIA GP108M [GeForce MX250] vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI
    driver: nvidia v: 575.64.05 alternate: nouveau,nvidia_drm
    non-free: 550-570.xx+ status: current (as of 2025-04; EOL~2026-12-xx)
    arch: Pascal code: GP10x process: TSMC 16nm built: 2016-2021 pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 4 link-max: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s bus-ID: 02:00.0
    chip-ID: 10de:1d13 class-ID: 0302
  Device-3: Quanta HD User Facing driver: uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-5:3 chip-ID: 0408:a061
    class-ID: 0e02
  Display: unspecified server: X.Org v: 21.1.18 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.8
    driver: X: loaded: modesetting alternate: fbdev,intel,vesa dri: iris
    gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.00x11.22")
    s-diag: 582mm (22.93")
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: AU Optronics 0x61ed built: 2018 res:
    mode: 1920x1080 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 142 gamma: 1.2
    size: 344x194mm (13.54x7.64") diag: 395mm (15.5") ratio: 16:9
    modes: 1920x1080
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel iris drv: nvidia platforms: device: 0
    drv: nvidia device: 1 drv: iris device: 2 drv: swrast gbm: drv: iris
    surfaceless: drv: nvidia x11: drv: iris inactive: wayland
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: intel mesa v: 25.1.6-arch1.1
    glx-v: 1.4 direct-render: yes renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics (CML GT2)
    device-ID: 8086:9b41 memory: 7.4 GiB unified: yes
  API: Vulkan v: 1.4.321 layers: 7 device: 0 type: integrated-gpu name: Intel
    UHD Graphics (CML GT2) driver: mesa intel v: 25.1.6-arch1.1
    device-ID: 8086:9b41 surfaces: N/A device: 1 type: discrete-gpu
    name: NVIDIA GeForce MX250 driver: nvidia v: 575.64.05
    device-ID: 10de:1d13 surfaces: N/A device: 2 type: cpu name: llvmpipe
    (LLVM 20.1.8 256 bits) driver: mesa llvmpipe v: 25.1.6-arch1.1 (LLVM
    20.1.8) device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: N/A
  Info: Tools: api: eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo
    gpu: nvidia-settings,nvidia-smi x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Comet Lake PCH-LP cAVS vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel alternate: snd_soc_avs,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl
    bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:02c8 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.15.8-arch1-1 status: kernel-api with: osspd status: off
    tools: N/A
  Server-1: sndiod v: N/A status: off tools: aucat,midicat,sndioctl
  Server-2: PipeWire v: 1.4.7 status: n/a (root, process) with:
    1: pipewire-pulse status: active 2: wireplumber status: active
    3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Comet Lake PCH-LP CNVi WiFi driver: iwlwifi v: kernel
    bus-ID: 00:14.3 chip-ID: 8086:02f0 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp0s20f3 state: up mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
    vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 3000 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168
    class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp3s0 state: down mac: <filter>
  Info: services: NetworkManager, smbd, systemd-timesyncd, wpa_supplicant
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 2.75 TiB used: 723.96 GiB (25.7%)
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Intel model: SSDPEKNW010T8
    size: 953.87 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s
    lanes: 4 tech: SSD serial: <filter> fw-rev: 002C temp: 33.9 C scheme: GPT
  SMART: yes health: PASSED on: 1y 267d 3h cycles: 4,197
    read-units: 54,356,955 [27.8 TB] written-units: 30,457,183 [15.5 TB]
  ID-2: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Toshiba model: MQ04UBD200
    family: 2.5" HDD MQ04UBD... size: 1.82 TiB block-size: physical: 4096 B
    logical: 512 B type: USB rev: 3.0 spd: 5 Gb/s lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1
    sata: 3.3 speed: 3.0 Gb/s tech: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter>
    fw-rev: 5438 drive-rev: JT0B0U scheme: MBR
  SMART: yes state: disabled
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 476.38 GiB size: 476.38 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 447.34 GiB (93.9%) fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p5
    maj-min: 259:5
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 100 MiB size: 96 MiB (96.00%)
    used: 60.3 MiB (62.8%) fs: vfat block-size: 512 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1
    maj-min: 259:1
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 476.38 GiB size: 476.38 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 447.34 GiB (93.9%) fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p5
    maj-min: 259:5
  ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 476.38 GiB size: 476.38 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 447.34 GiB (93.9%) fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p5
    maj-min: 259:5
  ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 476.38 GiB size: 476.38 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 447.34 GiB (93.9%) fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p5
    maj-min: 259:5
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default) zswap: no
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 7.57 GiB used: 1.36 GiB (18.0%)
    priority: 100 comp: zstd avail: lzo-rle,lzo,lz4,lz4hc,deflate,842
    dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 56.0 C pch: 63.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (rpm): N/A
Info:
  Memory: total: 8 GiB available: 7.57 GiB used: 4.39 GiB (57.9%) igpu: 64 MiB
  Processes: 313 Power: uptime: 3h 29m states: freeze,mem,disk suspend: deep
    avail: s2idle wakeups: 0 hibernate: platform avail: shutdown, reboot,
    suspend, test_resume image: 2.99 GiB services: csd-power,upowerd
    Init: systemd v: 257 default: graphical tool: systemctl
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 0 pm: pacman pkgs: 2322 libs: 536
    tools: pamac,paru Compilers: clang: 20.1.8 gcc: 15.1.1
    Shell: garuda-inxi (sudo) default: Bash v: 5.3.3
    running-in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.3.38
Garuda (2.7.3-2):
  System install date:     2021-12-22
  Last full system update: 2025-07-27
  Is partially upgraded:   Yes
  Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager mkinitcpio
  Windows dual boot:       Yes
  Failed units:            nmb.service

I have problem with VirtualBox not able to run because of the lack of installed kernel modules. I’ve found sources in /usr/src/vboxhost-7.1.12_OSE, however somehow they weren’t compiled during installation. The sources however aren’t complete: they require kernel headers. Is there any way to compile the modules? How can I get the right sources for my kernel (I’m using normal linux, not zen-linux if you want to know), if they are required?

2

First resolve this. :slight_smile:

Did you check the web about?

And this forum is not a general technical support forum. :slight_smile:

3 Likes
3

Resolved :saluting_face:

Does it mean I’m not allowed to ask about VirtualBox? :pleading_face:

I checked the Web, but it only gives me solutions on how to run Garuda INSIDE VirtualBox, not the other way around :frowning:

4

The way I see it is that every user, before opening a thread, should try to determine whether it’s an Arch packaging issue or even an application issue (in general, not necessarily in this specific case).
In these cases, Garuda, like any distribution with a limited number of developers I’d say, doesn’t do anything to those Arch packages. It might install them by default or make them easily installable with its tools and configurations, but that doesn’t mean we can fix the problems that arise, locally in our repositories or “upstream”.
Sometimes, the requests aren’t even a real issue, but they’re simply request like “how does this app work”, or something similar.
As a small group of helpers, we can’t, and we really shouldn’t, invest our limited time in issues for which Garuda has no “responsibility”.
There’s no problem opening a thread, but in the cases above, you shouldn’t necessarily expect a response. Perhaps in some cases, it could be a Community Category topic, for discussion, but not an issue.
That being said, is the problem solved or just the “partially upgraded” solved (and the problem remains :slight_smile:
In the latter case, have you installed the virtualbox-meta package?

4 Likes
5

Only “partially upgraded” was solved.

I know people here doesn’t have to be “know-all”-s. I just assumed if Garuda is installed with VirtualBox by default it means it is ready to run.

Frankly, I don’t know what to do now, as I assumed there are maybe some other package I should install (either compiled modules or headers). I even don’t know if I should looking in Garuda, Arch, whatever-the-kernel-is-used sources >_>

Yes. It didn’t help :frowning:

6

You don’t use the standard zen Kernel

While the Arch Wiki requires.

Install the virtualbox package. You will also need to choose a package to provide host modules:

To compile the VirtualBox modules provided by virtualbox-host-dkms, it will also be necessary to install the appropriate headers package(s) for your installed kernel(s) (e.g. linux-rt-headers for linux-rt). [1] When either VirtualBox or the kernel is updated, the kernel modules will be automatically recompiled thanks to the DKMS pacman hook.

In-fact, we provide the package in the third bullet point:
https://gitlab.com/garuda-linux/pkgbuilds/-/blob/main/virtualbox-meta/PKGBUILD?ref_type=heads
Maybe, you should install the package in the first bullet point ( virtualbox-host-modules-arch)?

4 Likes
7

Thanks, that did the trick :smiley:

I had like 3 linux distros in my life, and in every one of them had got the same issue with these kernel modules. One could think after ~15 years or so they finally managed to solve this issue :anger_symbol:

1 Like
8

You could also say that after 3 distros with the same problem, you should know how to get it work :wink:
But in principle you’re right.

9

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