The module "asus-nb-wmi" and its dependency "asus-wmi" are incompatible

[Eyal Lotem]

The contained kernel modules:

/lib/modules/3.8.0-26-generic/kernel/drivers/platform/x86/asus-wmi.ko
/lib/modules/3.8.0-26-generic/kernel/drivers/platform/x86/asus-nb-wmi.ko

are built incompatibly. That is, asus-nb-wmi depends on asus-wmi. asus-wmi loads successfully. But when then attempting to load asus-nb-wmi, you get (syslog messages):

.... asus_nb_wmi: disagrees about version of symbol asus_wmi_register_driver
Jul 5 21:34:39 eyal-UX31A kernel: [ 5.376532] asus_nb_wmi: Unknown symbol asus_wmi_register_driver (err -22)
Jul 5 21:34:39 eyal-UX31A kernel: [ 5.377287] asus_nb_wmi: disagrees about version of symbol asus_wmi_unregister_driver
Jul 5 21:34:39 eyal-UX31A kernel: [ 5.377361] asus_nb_wmi: Unknown symbol asus_wmi_unregister_driver (err -22)

Steps I took that successfully solved the problem:

I rebuilt the package manually:
  sudo apt-get build-dep linux-image-extra-3.8.0-26-generic &&
  apt-get source linux-image-extra-3.8.0-26-generic &&
  cd linux-3.8.0 &&
  fakeroot debian/rules binary

I re-installed the packages:
  sudo dpkg -i linux-doc_3.8.0-26.38_all.deb linux-headers-3.8.0-26*deb linux-image-*deb linux-libc-dev*deb linux-tools-*deb

I rebooted.

The modules were then loaded successfully.

The module that fails to load because of the bug: asus-nb-wmi is responsible for the support for the UX31A laptop (Zenbook Prime) keyboard backlight support and possibly other functionality.
By fixing this module I could finally regain control of my keyboard backlight.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 1198556

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Eyal Lotem (eyal-lotem)]

The specific version of linux-image-extra-3.8.0-26-generic is 3.8.0-26.38
This is Linux Mint olivia (Ubuntu raring), updated from nadia (Ubuntu quantal).

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.10 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.10-saucy/