VirtualBox kernel module is outdated

[James Justin Harrell]

Upgrading from Ubuntu 7.10 to Ubuntu 8.04 gave me the 2.6.24-16 and 2.6.24-17 kernels (with 2.6.24-17 selected as the default in Grub). The latest VirtualBox kernel module available in the repository is for the 2.6.24-16 kernel. When trying to start a virtual machine while the 2.6.24-17 kernel is running, I get the error "VirtualBox kernel driver not installed" VERR_VM_DRIVER_NOT_INSTALLED.

If I boot up using the 2.6.24-16 kernel (by selecting it in Grub), VirtualBox runs fine, but my audio is broken. (VirtualBox does give a warning about not being able to find an audio device.)

So basically, VirtualBox is completely broken for me on Ubuntu 8.04. Whoever is maintaining the VirtualBox packages has not been keeping the kernel module packages up-to-date.

[James Justin Harrell (herorev)]

I forgot to mention I'm running the 64-bit version of Ubuntu 8.04. (So the 32-bit repository may have the correct packages.)

[Daniel Hahler (blueyed)]

I suppose your archive mirror isn't up to date.
Additionally, you're using the -proposed repository, where such things are expected.
I'm marking it as duplicate of bug 226753.

You can either use the "original archive" (no mirror), or download the .debs manually from https://edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/hardy/+source/virtualbox-ose-modules.

[James Justin Harrell (herorev)]

I think I figured out the problem. Soon after I upgraded to Kubuntu 8.04, I noticed that in Adept the check boxes for "Pre-released updates" and "Unsupported updates" were checked. I didn't want that, so I unchecked them. Just now I enabled the "Pre-released updates" and "Unsupported updates", and I see the update to the virtualbox-ose-modules-generic package.

I guess I got some packages from the -proposed repository, and then prevented myself from getting updates. Is there any way to revert to the non-proposed/stable/whatever packages? I never intended to enable the pre-release/unsupported/proposed repository, and I don't know how to undo it.

Thank you for your help.

[Daniel Hahler (blueyed)]

You could try looking in "synaptics" for "local or obsolete" packages, if it shows up there, and then install the existing version instead.
But, I would just wait.. all packages from -proposed will show up in -updates sooner or later.

I've looked into this though more deeply, and it appears that basically "apt-show-versions" is suitable for this, but it needs an additional patch to display suites like "hardy-proposed". I'll attach the patch, more or less for reference - if you need any further help with this, please ask in the forums etc.
There might be an easier way to find those packages even..

Good luck :)