Problem with 4.18 dependencies on Mint 19/Ubuntu 18.04

[JacekJagosz]

4.18 version of your kernel, specifically headers is missing libncursesw6 and libtinfo6, which don't exist for Cosmic. https://packages.ubuntu.com/cgi-bin/search_packages.pl?keywords=libncurses&searchon=names&subword=1&version=breezy&release=all I don't understand the problem as "normal" 4.18 or newer kernels don't have those problems. Do you have any idea how to fix it, or at least could you update your batch file to install kernel 4.17 on Mint 19 and Ubuntu 18.04. Thanks in advance for any help!

[NoeelMoeskops]

Lubuntu 18.04 install script output:

-> Installing the kernel
Selecting previously unselected package linux-headers-4.18.0+.
(Reading database ... 422500 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack linux-headers-4.18.0.Custom_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking linux-headers-4.18.0+ (4.18.0+-10.00.Custom) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of linux-headers-4.18.0+:
 linux-headers-4.18.0+ depends on libncursesw6 (>= 6); however:
  Package libncursesw6 is not installed.
 linux-headers-4.18.0+ depends on libtinfo6 (>= 6); however:
  Package libtinfo6 is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package linux-headers-4.18.0+ (--install):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
 linux-headers-4.18.0+
Selecting previously unselected package linux-image-4.18.0+.

[heikomat]

Sorry for the delay, just noticed this issue. I'll have a look at this later today.

[heikomat]

For the time being, you can download the 4.17 kernel from the releases-page here (just sudo dpkg -i the two .deb-files)

[heikomat]

I downgraded the script to install 4.17 as long as this isn't working. btw, these packages seem to exist in cosmic:

• https://packages.ubuntu.com/cosmic/libtinfo6
• https://packages.ubuntu.com/cosmic/libncursesw6

There could be something in the build-config that changed from 4.17 to 4.18, that requires these libraries. If so, then it happened in this commit

[heikomat]

I'm pretty sure to have found the cause of this problem. in this script, it is being checked if libncursesw (which depends on libtinfo) is available. If so, it will be used. If not, it tries to fall back to libncurses (without the w).

The thing that changed between my 4.17 compilation and the 4.18 compilation is the host system i used.

i used an ubuntu system to compile 4.17, and a debian system to compile 4.18. fortunately, i still have both systems here, so i checked what was installed where, and as it turns out, libncursesw is available on the debian system, but is not available on the ubuntu system.

So what needs to be done is probably to tell the script to use libncurses, even if libncursesw exists.

Btw., i can reproduce your error on a VM, so i will recompile with these changes, and if it works, update the release and re-enable 4.18 in the install script

[heikomat]

ok, this was not it, the header deb-package still requires libncursesw when being built using debian. I'll probably have another look at it at the weekend

[aaguilarjimenez]

Hi! Any advance on a 4.18 kernel that can be installed without libncursesw6? Thanks a lot!

[heikomat]

@aaguilarjimenez not yet. I haven't had too much time on my hands the last couple of days. I'm pretty sure, that it would work, if i were to build the kernel on a ubuntu machine, but i'd prefer to build it on my main (debian) machine.

But i actually do have some time right now, and could take another look

[heikomat]

ok, progress. the problem is not with libncursesw6 vs libncurses6, but with libncursesw6 vs libncursesw5

[heikomat]

The problem seems to be, that i have installed linbcurses-dev version 6.1 on my debian system, which has dependencies on libncursesw6 and libtinfo6.

Now i need to somehow tell it to use an older version of libncurses-dev. As can be seen here, version 6.0 only requires libncurses5 and libtinfo5

[heikomat]

might setup an Ubuntu-System just fur building the kernel tomorrow. Though not ideal, this seems to be the easiest way (for me at least) to build the kernel so it "just works" for everyone

[NoeelMoeskops]

@heikomat thank you for taking the time to fix this. I have a Ubuntu machine and I could build the kernel for you. I have never done anything related to the kernel before so instructions would be nice :).

[heikomat]

@NoeelMoeskops setting up the ubuntu machine is not a problem, would've just been nice to be able to build it using my main (debian) machine.

If you however want to build the kernel yourself so you don't have to wait until i do, here are the instructions i use to build the kernel (they work for ubuntu and debian)

[NoeelMoeskops]

So I compiled the kernel. You can download it here. I have not yet tested it tho, so use with caution. Will try them tomorrow.

[heikomat]

i'm actually currently tinkering with compiling inside an ubuntu docker-container :D

[NoeelMoeskops]

Interesting, that would be a way better idea then running an VM or letting me compile everything :p

[heikomat]

I got it to build the kernel (even on my mac) but the docker container run out of space just before finishing (configured it with not enough space). So i'll test tomorrow if the .deb-files it produces are actually working

[heikomat]

ok, i successfully build the kernel inside the docker container, and updated the files in the 4.18 release here

I tested them on my E200HA on debian, and on an ubuntu-vm, but not on an ubuntu on an E200HA.

@NoeelMoeskops would you be able to quickly test this?

[aaguilarjimenez]

Thanks a lot! I might be able to test it tomorrow, when I get back my E200HA. I'll let you know if it works!

[NoeelMoeskops]

@heikomat running the kernel and it seems to work, no failed dependency or whatever in the console output when installing.

[heikomat]

i now made this 4.18 kernel the one that gets installed by the installer-script (see this change)

This issue should be solved by that change. If you still encounter installations problems, let me know :) // @Jacek13 @NoeelMoeskops @aaguilarjimenez

[aaguilarjimenez]

I am testing 4.18 on my Asus and so far everything's good, including sound. Thanks again! :)