Unable to install NI-VISA nikal kernel module because of GPL-only symbol 'pgprot_writecombine'

[Norbert]

Steps to reproduce:
1. Login to National Instruments site
2. Download NI-VISA 15.0 for linux (NI-VISA-15.0.0.iso).
3. Launch its installation by "sudo ./INSTALL"
4. Get errors on nikal kernel modules compilation about "pgprot_writecombine" symbol
(

sudo /usr/local/natinst/nikal/bin/updateNIDrivers
Configuring NI-KAL for kernel version 4.4.0-16-generic...
Building module nikal...
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: CC [M] /var/lib/nikal/4.4.0-16-generic/nikal/nikal.o
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: Building modules, stage 2.
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: MODPOST 1 modules
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: FATAL: modpost: GPL-incompatible module nikal.ko uses GPL-only symbol 'pgprot_writecombine'
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: scripts/Makefile.modpost:91: recipe for target '__modpost' failed
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: make[2]: *** [__modpost] Error 1
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: Makefile:1399: recipe for target 'modules' failed
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: make[1]: *** [modules] Error 2
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: Makefile:32: recipe for target 'nikal.ko' failed
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: make: *** [nikal.ko] Error 2
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: ERROR: failed to build nikal
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: ERROR: NI-KAL update failed.
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: ERROR: make of nikal kernel module failed, not installing kernel module.
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: ERROR: updateNIDrivers should be called again after fixing the problem.
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: ERROR: Logging failure...
find: ‘/lib/modules/4.4.0-15-generic/kernel/natinst’: No such file or directory
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: ERROR: Include the file /tmp/niSystemReport.out.gz when contacting
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: ERROR: National Instruments for support.
<11>Mar 31 23:04:51 nikal: ERROR: Update of National Instruments drivers failed.

)

Temporary solution:
1. Edit /usr/src/linux-headers-4.4.0-16-generic/Module.symvers
and change line
   0xd544e902 pgprot_writecombine vmlinux EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL
to
   0xd544e902 pgprot_writecombine vmlinux EXPORT_SYMBOL
2. Edit /boot/abi-4.4.0-16-generic
and change line
   EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL vmlinux 0xd544e902 pgprot_writecombine
to
   EXPORT_SYMBOL vmlinux 0xd544e902 pgprot_writecombine

but it does not help - I get "nikal: Unknown symbol pgprot_writecombine (err 0)" in syslog.

Expected results:
0. The 'pgprot_writecombine' symbol is exported as EXPORT_SYMBOL
1. Ubuntu can compile and load NI nikal module.

Actual results:
Unable to use NI-VISA under Ubuntu.

Reference (openSUSE):
http://forums.ni.com/t5/Instrument-Control-GPIB-Serial/GPL-incompatible-module-nikal-ko/td-p/3218730

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: linux-image-4.4.0-16-generic 4.4.0-16.32
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-16.32-generic 4.4.6
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-16-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.20-0ubuntu3
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: flash 1549 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: flash 1549 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Thu Mar 31 18:16:37 2016
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-03-26 (4 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Beta i386 (20160323)
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 enp1s0 no wireless extensions.
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. To be filled by O.E.M.
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-16-generic root=UUID=eab7b488-5040-499c-afd8-21a7ce9e2383 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-16-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-16-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 01/09/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: FD
dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: F2A55M-DS2
dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.board.version: x.x
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.chassis.version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrFD:bd01/09/2014:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnTobefilledbyO.E.M.:pvrTobefilledbyO.E.M.:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnF2A55M-DS2:rvrx.x:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvrToBeFilledByO.E.M.:
dmi.product.name: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.product.version: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Tim Gardner (timg-tpi)]

Commit 92b9af9e4f144535c65aee673cfad309f25fa465 ('x86: i915 needs pgprot_writecombine() and is_io_mapping_possible()') is where that symbol is exported. You could send an email to Ingo Molnar <email address hidden> and see if he is interested in relaxing that export.

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

Dear Ingo Molnar!

I have a problem with *EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(pgprot_writecombine)* with Linux
4.4.0.16 on Ubuntu 16.04.
The *pgprot_writecombine* symbol is used in NI_VISA nikal driver (see
forwarded bugreport <https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1564470>).

Is it safe to change *EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(pgprot_writecombine) *to
*EXPORT_SYMBOL(pgprot_writecombine)*?

With best regards,
Norbert.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tim Gardner <email address hidden>
Date: Thu, Mar 31, 2016 at 7:01 PM
Subject: [Bug 1564470] Re: Unable to install NI-VISA nikal kernel module
because of GPL-only symbol 'pgprot_writecombine'
To: <email address hidden>

Commit 92b9af9e4f144535c65aee673cfad309f25fa465 ('x86: i915 needs
pgprot_writecombine() and is_io_mapping_possible()') is where that
symbol is exported. You could send an email to Ingo Molnar
<email address hidden> and see if he is interested in relaxing that export.

--
You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
report.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1564470

Title:
  Unable to install NI-VISA nikal kernel module because of GPL-only
  symbol 'pgprot_writecombine'

Status in linux package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  Steps to reproduce:
  1. Login to National Instruments site
  2. Download NI-VISA 15.0 for linux (NI-VISA-15.0.0.iso).
  3. Launch its installation by "sudo ./INSTALL"
  4. Get errors on nikal kernel modules compilation about
"pgprot_writecombine" symbol ("nikal: FATAL: modpost: GPL-incompatible
module nikal.ko uses GPL-only symbol 'pgprot_writecombine'")

  Temporary solution:
  1. Edit /usr/src/linux-headers-4.4.0-16-generic/Module.symvers
  and change line
     0xd544e902 pgprot_writecombine vmlinux EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL
  to
     0xd544e902 pgprot_writecombine vmlinux EXPORT_SYMBOL
  2. Edit /boot/abi-4.4.0-16-generic
  and change line
     EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL vmlinux 0xd544e902 pgprot_writecombine
  to
     EXPORT_SYMBOL vmlinux 0xd544e902 pgprot_writecombine

  but it does not help - I get "nikal: Unknown symbol
  pgprot_writecombine (err 0)" in syslog.

  Expected results:
  0. The 'pgprot_writecombine' symbol is exported as EXPORT_SYMBOL
  1. Ubuntu can compile and load NI nikal module.

  Actual results:
  Unable to use NI-VISA under Ubuntu.

  Reference (openSUSE):

http://forums.ni.com/t5/Instrument-Control-GPIB-Serial/GPL-incompatible-module-nikal-ko/td-p/3218730

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
  Package: linux-image-4.4.0-16-generic 4.4.0-16.32
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-16.32-generic 4.4.6
  Uname: Linux 4.4.0-16-generic i686
  ApportVersion: 2.20-0ubuntu3
  Architecture: i386
  AudioDevicesInUse:
   USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
   /dev/snd/controlC1: flash 1549 F.... pulseaudio
   /dev/snd/controlC0: flash 1549 F.... pulseaudio
  CurrentDesktop: Unity
  Date: Thu Mar 31 18:16:37 2016
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-03-26 (4 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Beta i386 (20160323)
  IwConfig:
   lo no wireless extensions.

   enp1s0 no wireless extensions.
  MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. To be filled by O.E.M.
  ProcFB: 0 radeond...

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

What is interesting nikal.ko module builds and loads successfully without any manual patching on
* Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS with linux-3.13.
* Ubuntu 12.04.5 LTS with linux-3.2.

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

Got similar error messages on Ubuntu 16.04 with Linux 4.4 and NI-VISA-15.5.0.iso .

Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: CC [M] /var/lib/nikal/4.4.0-16-generic/nikal/nikal.o
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: Building modules, stage 2.
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: MODPOST 1 modules
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: FATAL: modpost: GPL-incompatible module nikal.ko uses GPL-only symbol 'pgprot_writecombine'
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: scripts/Makefile.modpost:91: recipe for target '__modpost' failed
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: make[2]: *** [__modpost] Error 1
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: Makefile:1399: recipe for target 'modules' failed
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: make[1]: *** [modules] Error 2
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: Makefile:32: recipe for target 'nikal.ko' failed
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: make: *** [nikal.ko] Error 2
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: ERROR: failed to build nikal
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: ERROR: NI-KAL update failed.
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: ERROR: make of nikal kernel module failed, not installing kernel module.
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: ERROR: updateNIDrivers should be called again after fixing the problem.
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nikal: ERROR: Update of National Instruments drivers failed.
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nimDNSResponder: mDNSResponder (Engineering Build) (Mar 4 2014 10:27:18) starting
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash nimDNSResponder: mDNS_AddDNSServer: Lock not held! mDNS_busy (0) mDNS_reentrancy (0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939299] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_mapKernelToUser (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939308] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_pageUnlockUserPointer (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939313] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_releaseSpinLockDPC (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939317] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_acquireSemaphoreZeroTimeout (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939321] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_scheduleDPC (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939326] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_usbGetEndpointDescriptor (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939330] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_pciConfigRead16 (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939334] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_usbGetConfigurationDescriptor (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939338] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_usbUnlinkURB (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939343] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_printToDebugger (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939347] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL150_createMutex (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939351] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL150_releaseMutex (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939355] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_waitForSingleUseEvent (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939359] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_enumeratePCIBuses (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939363] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_waitForSingleUseEventTimeoutInterruptible (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939368] nipalk: Unknown symbol nNIKAL100_unregisterPCIDriver (err 0)
Apr 4 20:50:41 flash kernel: [ 1448.939372] nipalk:...

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

Got NI-VISA-15.5.0.iso installed with all kernel modules (without errors) on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS after manual installation of /sbin/chkconfig and /sbin/insserv from Debian stretch (they are missed on Ubuntu - see bug 1565926 and bug 1565932 ).

So it seems that 'pgprot_writecombine' is not a real problem.

[Pamir Talazan (pamir-talazan)]

I confirm Norbert's diagnosis.

[Enrico Weigelt, metux ITS (metux)]

It's neither a Ubuntu bug, nor a upstream one.

Instead it's entirely NI's fault: they're using an GPL-only symbol (which IIRC always has been GPL-only!) in their proprietary kernel driver. (the idea of binary-only kernel drivers alone is quite insane in the first place).

The only serious fix is NI releasing their driver as GPL, or somebody reverse-engineering it and writing a free driver.

Don't use that stuff in production (inherently dangerous), and dont bother the kernel developers with that (there's a reason for the tainted-flags).