Your message dated Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:05:52 +0200
with message-id <a3c887c2b4db6c0a2cbfa3fdcdaf294dc41e3243.ca...@decadent.org.uk>
and subject line Re: Bug#1109040: Subject: linux-headers-6.1.0-37-amd64 missing
config files; cannot build external modules on Bookworm
has caused the Debian Bug report #1109040,
regarding Subject: linux-headers-6.1.0-37-amd64 missing config files; cannot
build external modules on Bookworm
to be marked as done.
This means that you claim that the problem has been dealt with.
If this is not the case it is now your responsibility to reopen the
Bug report if necessary, and/or fix the problem forthwith.
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--
1109040: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1109040
Debian Bug Tracking System
Contact ow...@bugs.debian.org with problems
--- Begin Message ---
Package: linux-headers-6.1.0-37-amd64
Version: 6.1.140-1
Severity: serious
Hello Debian team,
(*First, I wish to apologize for not using the report tool fully. I used it
and took the contents of the report from there to complete it, but my SMTP
server failed to send the report, so I sent it manually instead. Thank you
for understanding. Now to the report.*)
I've encountered a serious and reproducible issue with the Debian 12
(Bookworm) kernel headers package that affects the ability to build
out-of-tree kernel modules — such as for netfilter hooks or network drivers
— using linux-headers-6.1.0-37-amd64.
====================
📌 Problem Summary
====================
The installed kernel headers appear to be incomplete. While the symbolic
link /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build correctly points to
/usr/src/linux-headers-6.1.0-37-amd64, this directory relies on shared
contents from /usr/src/linux-headers-6.1.0-37-common, which is missing
critical build infrastructure.
As a result, any attempt to build a kernel module using the standard
external Makefile flow fails or silently produces a broken .ko file that
cannot be inserted.
====================
🧨 Symptoms
====================
- make fails with:
/usr/src/linux-headers-6.1.0-37-common/scripts/Makefile.build:44:
/usr/src/linux-headers-6.1.0-37-common/scripts/basic/Makefile: No such file
or directory
- If the build succeeds by falling back to linux-source-6.1, the resulting
.ko file throws:
insmod: ERROR: could not insert module netherhook.ko: Invalid module
format
====================
🧪 Attempted Fixes
====================
- Tried make olddefconfig / make prepare / make modules_prepare
- Verified all header links and paths are correct
- Compared with working Kali system (same kernel base, properly functioning
headers)
====================
✅ Workaround
====================
Only way to build modules is to manually extract linux-source-6.1, manually
prepare it with kernel config from /boot/, and avoid the headers package
altogether. This breaks DKMS, automated toolchains, and all standard
workflows relying on headers.
====================
🔥 Impact
====================
This breaks expected kernel module workflows and contradicts Debian's
packaging design, where linux-headers-* should be sufficient to compile
out-of-tree modules.
====================
🛠️ Recommendation
====================
Please verify that linux-headers-6.1.0-37-amd64 and -common contain:
- include/config/auto.conf
- include/generated/autoconf.h
- scripts/basic/Makefile
- Proper linker script compatibility (module.lds, etc.)
Thanks for your work maintaining Debian — fixing this will restore a vital
dev pipeline.
Respectfully,
Markus Johnsson
(NetherTools project)
-- System Information:
Debian Release: 12.11
APT prefers stable-updates
APT policy: (500, 'stable-updates'), (500, 'stable-security'), (500,
'stable')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Kernel: Linux 6.1.0-37-amd64 (SMP w/20 CPU threads; PREEMPT)
Kernel taint flags: TAINT_FORCED_MODULE, TAINT_OOT_MODULE,
TAINT_UNSIGNED_MODULE
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8),
LANGUAGE=en_US:en
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /usr/bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)
LSM: AppArmor: enabled
Versions of packages linux-headers-6.1.0-37-amd64 depends on:
ii linux-compiler-gcc-12-x86 6.1.140-1
ii linux-headers-6.1.0-37-common 6.1.140-1
ii linux-kbuild-6.1 6.1.140-1
linux-headers-6.1.0-37-amd64 recommends no packages.
linux-headers-6.1.0-37-amd64 suggests no packages.
-- no debconf information
--
Med vänlig hälsning / Regards
Markus Johnsson
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07/10/25, 11:20:35 AM
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
This was reported to be user error ("make -C /usr/src/linux-source-6.1
..." instead of "make -C /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build ...").
Ben.
--
Ben Hutchings
Never attribute to conspiracy what can adequately be explained
by stupidity.
--- End Message ---