Confusing "modinfo: ERROR: missing module or filename." during normal operation

[Dan Watkins]

I just installed a new kernel, and when I did so my Nvidia kernel modules were handled through DKMS, as you would expect. However, during what I believe is normal operation, I saw the following stanza (repeated for several nvidia .ko files):

nvidia.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
modinfo: ERROR: missing module or filename.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/5.0.0-20-generic/updates/dkms/

The "ERROR" in here gave me pause, but I _believe_ that's an expected message for a new kernel.

It would make for a less troubling user experience if we didn't print out "ERROR" in all caps when there is no error at all.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 19.10
Package: dkms 2.7.1-1ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.0.0-17.18-generic 5.0.8
Uname: Linux 5.0.0-17-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: i3
Date: Fri Jul 5 09:52:41 2019
InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-05-07 (58 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20190210)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: dkms
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to eoan on 2019-05-08 (57 days ago)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[ed.clement (ed-clement)]

I agree, I don't remember this behavior a few months ago. It was throwing me off quite a bit at first.

[Tom Cook (tom-k-cook)]

According to https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=943569, this is fixed in debian dkms=2.7.1-5.