[gentoo-user] Kernel upgrade from 4.1.12 to 4.4.6 hangs without writing logs.

[gentoo-user] Kernel upgrade from 4.1.12 to 4.4.6 hangs without writing logs.

[Hans]

Tried to upgrade the kernels of my desktop and notebook fron kernel 
4.1.12 upgrade to 4.4.6. Both systems freeze during booting with 4.4.6. 
No dmsg, No messages logs. Previous kernel upgrades always worked smooth 
as silk.

Using: OpenRC, eudev, Xfce,

Desktop configration:
Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
MENUCONFIG="yes"
MAKEOPTS="-j5"
MDADM="yes"
MDADM_CONFIG="/etc/mdadm.conf"
DISKLABEL="yes"
KNAME="genkernel-G_ROOT"

Boot: Grub-static
grub.conf:
title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=G_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0 
root=/dev/ram0 domdadm real_root=LABEL=G_ROOT
initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo

No error reported in genkernel.log
------------------

Notebook configration:
Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
MENUCONFIG="yes"
MAKEOPTS="-j5"
DISKLABEL="yes"
KNAME="genkernel-HP_ROOT"

Boot: Grub-static
grub.conf:
title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=HP_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0 
root=/dev/ram0 real_root=LABEL=HP_ROOT
initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo

No error reported in genkernel.log
-------------------

Re: [gentoo-user] Kernel upgrade from 4.1.12 to 4.4.6 hangs without writing logs.

[J. Roeleveld]

On April 27, 2016 12:59:18 PM GMT+02:00, Hans <linux@c5ace.com> wrote:
>Tried to upgrade the kernels of my desktop and notebook fron kernel 
>4.1.12 upgrade to 4.4.6. Both systems freeze during booting with 4.4.6.
>
>No dmsg, No messages logs. Previous kernel upgrades always worked
>smooth 
>as silk.
>
>Using: OpenRC, eudev, Xfce,
>
>Desktop configration:
>Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
>MENUCONFIG="yes"
>MAKEOPTS="-j5"
>MDADM="yes"
>MDADM_CONFIG="/etc/mdadm.conf"
>DISKLABEL="yes"
>KNAME="genkernel-G_ROOT"
>
>Boot: Grub-static
>grub.conf:
>title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=G_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
>root (hd0,0)
>kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0 
>root=/dev/ram0 domdadm real_root=LABEL=G_ROOT
>initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo
>
>No error reported in genkernel.log
>------------------
>
>Notebook configration:
>Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
>MENUCONFIG="yes"
>MAKEOPTS="-j5"
>DISKLABEL="yes"
>KNAME="genkernel-HP_ROOT"
>
>Boot: Grub-static
>grub.conf:
>title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=HP_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
>root (hd0,0)
>kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0
>
>root=/dev/ram0 real_root=LABEL=HP_ROOT
>initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo
>
>No error reported in genkernel.log
>-------------------

Why are you specifying root=/dev/ram0?

Modern kernels use initramfs and you normally specify the real root device there.
-- 
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

[gentoo-user] Re: Kernel upgrade from 4.1.12 to 4.4.6 hangs without writing logs.

[Hans]

On 27/04/16 21:33, J. Roeleveld wrote:
> On April 27, 2016 12:59:18 PM GMT+02:00, Hans <linux@c5ace.com> wrote:
>> Tried to upgrade the kernels of my desktop and notebook fron kernel
>> 4.1.12 upgrade to 4.4.6. Both systems freeze during booting with 4.4.6.
>>
>> No dmsg, No messages logs. Previous kernel upgrades always worked
>> smooth
>> as silk.
>>
>> Using: OpenRC, eudev, Xfce,
>>
>> Desktop configration:
>> Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
>> MENUCONFIG="yes"
>> MAKEOPTS="-j5"
>> MDADM="yes"
>> MDADM_CONFIG="/etc/mdadm.conf"
>> DISKLABEL="yes"
>> KNAME="genkernel-G_ROOT"
>>
>> Boot: Grub-static
>> grub.conf:
>> title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=G_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
>> root (hd0,0)
>> kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0
>> root=/dev/ram0 domdadm real_root=LABEL=G_ROOT
>> initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo
>>
>> No error reported in genkernel.log
>> ------------------
>>
>> Notebook configration:
>> Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
>> MENUCONFIG="yes"
>> MAKEOPTS="-j5"
>> DISKLABEL="yes"
>> KNAME="genkernel-HP_ROOT"
>>
>> Boot: Grub-static
>> grub.conf:
>> title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=HP_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
>> root (hd0,0)
>> kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0
>>
>> root=/dev/ram0 real_root=LABEL=HP_ROOT
>> initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo
>>
>> No error reported in genkernel.log
>> -------------------
>
> Why are you specifying root=/dev/ram0?
>
> Modern kernels use initramfs and you normally specify the real root device there.
>
"root=/dev/ram0" is a leftover from the original installation from a 
long time ago. Removing it makes no difference.

Am at the moment making a new test installation in VirtualBox. So far 
its working with kernel 4.4.6. If Xfce works tomorrow, it's either a 
configuration or driver problem. I will then do a re-install of Gentoo 
on my desktop and the notebook using a external drive.

[gentoo-user] Re: Kernel upgrade from 4.1.12 to 4.4.6 hangs without writing logs.

[Hans]

On 28/04/16 22:22, Hans wrote:
> On 27/04/16 21:33, J. Roeleveld wrote:
>> On April 27, 2016 12:59:18 PM GMT+02:00, Hans <linux@c5ace.com> wrote:
>>> Tried to upgrade the kernels of my desktop and notebook fron kernel
>>> 4.1.12 upgrade to 4.4.6. Both systems freeze during booting with 4.4.6.
>>>
>>> No dmsg, No messages logs. Previous kernel upgrades always worked
>>> smooth
>>> as silk.
>>>
>>> Using: OpenRC, eudev, Xfce,
>>>
>>> Desktop configration:
>>> Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
>>> MENUCONFIG="yes"
>>> MAKEOPTS="-j5"
>>> MDADM="yes"
>>> MDADM_CONFIG="/etc/mdadm.conf"
>>> DISKLABEL="yes"
>>> KNAME="genkernel-G_ROOT"
>>>
>>> Boot: Grub-static
>>> grub.conf:
>>> title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=G_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
>>> root (hd0,0)
>>> kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0
>>> root=/dev/ram0 domdadm real_root=LABEL=G_ROOT
>>> initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo
>>>
>>> No error reported in genkernel.log
>>> ------------------
>>>
>>> Notebook configration:
>>> Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
>>> MENUCONFIG="yes"
>>> MAKEOPTS="-j5"
>>> DISKLABEL="yes"
>>> KNAME="genkernel-HP_ROOT"
>>>
>>> Boot: Grub-static
>>> grub.conf:
>>> title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=HP_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
>>> root (hd0,0)
>>> kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0
>>>
>>> root=/dev/ram0 real_root=LABEL=HP_ROOT
>>> initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo
>>>
>>> No error reported in genkernel.log
>>> -------------------
>>
>> Why are you specifying root=/dev/ram0?
>>
>> Modern kernels use initramfs and you normally specify the real root
>> device there.
>>
> "root=/dev/ram0" is a leftover from the original installation from a
> long time ago. Removing it makes no difference.
>
> Am at the moment making a new test installation in VirtualBox. So far
> its working with kernel 4.4.6. If Xfce works tomorrow, it's either a
> configuration or driver problem. I will then do a re-install of Gentoo
> on my desktop and the notebook using a external drive.
>
Kernel 4.4.6 as a bug. x11-drivers/xf86-video-virtualbox does not compile.
Reason:
/usr/src/linux-4.4.6-gentoo/include/linux/string.h
'char *strreplace(char *s, char old, char new);' causes compile failure.
"new" is a C++ keyword.
Changing tp 'char *strreplace(char *s, char oldstr, char newstr);' fixes 
the problem.

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: Kernel upgrade from 4.1.12 to 4.4.6 hangs without writing logs.

[Michael Mol]

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On Friday, April 29, 2016 10:56:28 PM Hans wrote:
> On 28/04/16 22:22, Hans wrote:
> > On 27/04/16 21:33, J. Roeleveld wrote:
> >> On April 27, 2016 12:59:18 PM GMT+02:00, Hans <linux@c5ace.com> wrote:
> >>> Tried to upgrade the kernels of my desktop and notebook fron kernel
> >>> 4.1.12 upgrade to 4.4.6. Both systems freeze during booting with 4.4.6.
> >>> 
> >>> No dmsg, No messages logs. Previous kernel upgrades always worked
> >>> smooth
> >>> as silk.
> >>> 
> >>> Using: OpenRC, eudev, Xfce,
> >>> 
> >>> Desktop configration:
> >>> Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
> >>> MENUCONFIG="yes"
> >>> MAKEOPTS="-j5"
> >>> MDADM="yes"
> >>> MDADM_CONFIG="/etc/mdadm.conf"
> >>> DISKLABEL="yes"
> >>> KNAME="genkernel-G_ROOT"
> >>> 
> >>> Boot: Grub-static
> >>> grub.conf:
> >>> title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=G_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
> >>> root (hd0,0)
> >>> kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0
> >>> root=/dev/ram0 domdadm real_root=LABEL=G_ROOT
> >>> initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo
> >>> 
> >>> No error reported in genkernel.log
> >>> ------------------
> >>> 
> >>> Notebook configration:
> >>> Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
> >>> MENUCONFIG="yes"
> >>> MAKEOPTS="-j5"
> >>> DISKLABEL="yes"
> >>> KNAME="genkernel-HP_ROOT"
> >>> 
> >>> Boot: Grub-static
> >>> grub.conf:
> >>> title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=HP_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
> >>> root (hd0,0)
> >>> kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0
> >>> 
> >>> root=/dev/ram0 real_root=LABEL=HP_ROOT
> >>> initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo
> >>> 
> >>> No error reported in genkernel.log
> >>> -------------------
> >> 
> >> Why are you specifying root=/dev/ram0?
> >> 
> >> Modern kernels use initramfs and you normally specify the real root
> >> device there.
> > 
> > "root=/dev/ram0" is a leftover from the original installation from a
> > long time ago. Removing it makes no difference.
> > 
> > Am at the moment making a new test installation in VirtualBox. So far
> > its working with kernel 4.4.6. If Xfce works tomorrow, it's either a
> > configuration or driver problem. I will then do a re-install of Gentoo
> > on my desktop and the notebook using a external drive.
> 
> Kernel 4.4.6 as a bug. x11-drivers/xf86-video-virtualbox does not compile.
> Reason:
> /usr/src/linux-4.4.6-gentoo/include/linux/string.h
> 'char *strreplace(char *s, char old, char new);' causes compile failure.
> "new" is a C++ keyword.
> Changing tp 'char *strreplace(char *s, char oldstr, char newstr);' fixes
> the problem.

That's not a bug in the kernel per se, that's a bug in using that kernel 
header (written in C) in a compiler expecting C++ code. Which would make it a 
bug in xf86-video-virtualbox for not linking against a C-compiled object file.

Granted, it'd be a heck of a lot more convenient if the kernel header files 
didn't use C++ keywords...but it *is* fundamentally a problem with compiling a 
source file using the wrong language. Like trying to read something in 
Portugese, except it was written in Spanish. It might work some of the time, 
but it'll catch you out eventually.

-- 
:wq

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[gentoo-user] Re: Kernel upgrade from 4.1.12 to 4.4.6 hangs without writing logs.

[Hans]

On 30/04/16 00:28, Michael Mol wrote:
> On Friday, April 29, 2016 10:56:28 PM Hans wrote:
>> On 28/04/16 22:22, Hans wrote:
>>> On 27/04/16 21:33, J. Roeleveld wrote:
>>>> On April 27, 2016 12:59:18 PM GMT+02:00, Hans <linux@c5ace.com> wrote:
>>>>> Tried to upgrade the kernels of my desktop and notebook fron kernel
>>>>> 4.1.12 upgrade to 4.4.6. Both systems freeze during booting with 4.4.6.
>>>>>
>>>>> No dmsg, No messages logs. Previous kernel upgrades always worked
>>>>> smooth
>>>>> as silk.
>>>>>
>>>>> Using: OpenRC, eudev, Xfce,
>>>>>
>>>>> Desktop configration:
>>>>> Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
>>>>> MENUCONFIG="yes"
>>>>> MAKEOPTS="-j5"
>>>>> MDADM="yes"
>>>>> MDADM_CONFIG="/etc/mdadm.conf"
>>>>> DISKLABEL="yes"
>>>>> KNAME="genkernel-G_ROOT"
>>>>>
>>>>> Boot: Grub-static
>>>>> grub.conf:
>>>>> title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=G_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
>>>>> root (hd0,0)
>>>>> kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0
>>>>> root=/dev/ram0 domdadm real_root=LABEL=G_ROOT
>>>>> initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-G_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo
>>>>>
>>>>> No error reported in genkernel.log
>>>>> ------------------
>>>>>
>>>>> Notebook configration:
>>>>> Genkernel with /etc/genkernel.conf additional options:
>>>>> MENUCONFIG="yes"
>>>>> MAKEOPTS="-j5"
>>>>> DISKLABEL="yes"
>>>>> KNAME="genkernel-HP_ROOT"
>>>>>
>>>>> Boot: Grub-static
>>>>> grub.conf:
>>>>> title PROXY-64 domdadm LABEL=HP_ROOT Gentoo Linux 4.4.6-gentoo
>>>>> root (hd0,0)
>>>>> kernel /boot/kernel-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo net.ifnames=0
>>>>>
>>>>> root=/dev/ram0 real_root=LABEL=HP_ROOT
>>>>> initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-HP_ROOT-x86_64-4.4.6-gentoo
>>>>>
>>>>> No error reported in genkernel.log
>>>>> -------------------
>>>>
>>>> Why are you specifying root=/dev/ram0?
>>>>
>>>> Modern kernels use initramfs and you normally specify the real root
>>>> device there.
>>>
>>> "root=/dev/ram0" is a leftover from the original installation from a
>>> long time ago. Removing it makes no difference.
>>>
>>> Am at the moment making a new test installation in VirtualBox. So far
>>> its working with kernel 4.4.6. If Xfce works tomorrow, it's either a
>>> configuration or driver problem. I will then do a re-install of Gentoo
>>> on my desktop and the notebook using a external drive.
>>
>> Kernel 4.4.6 as a bug. x11-drivers/xf86-video-virtualbox does not compile.
>> Reason:
>> /usr/src/linux-4.4.6-gentoo/include/linux/string.h
>> 'char *strreplace(char *s, char old, char new);' causes compile failure.
>> "new" is a C++ keyword.
>> Changing tp 'char *strreplace(char *s, char oldstr, char newstr);' fixes
>> the problem.
>
> That's not a bug in the kernel per se, that's a bug in using that kernel
> header (written in C) in a compiler expecting C++ code. Which would make it a
> bug in xf86-video-virtualbox for not linking against a C-compiled object file.
>
> Granted, it'd be a heck of a lot more convenient if the kernel header files
> didn't use C++ keywords...but it *is* fundamentally a problem with compiling a
> source file using the wrong language. Like trying to read something in
> Portugese, except it was written in Spanish. It might work some of the time,
> but it'll catch you out eventually.
>

The Virtualbox internal runtime compiler, assembler and gcc compiler to 
build executables such as app-emulation/virtualbox-guest-additions, etc. 
use some of the kernel sources and headers.

Kernel 4.1.12 string.h and earlier did not have this silly problem.

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: Kernel upgrade from 4.1.12 to 4.4.6 hangs without writing logs.

[Michael Mol]

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On Saturday, April 30, 2016 01:32:54 AM Hans wrote:
> On 30/04/16 00:28, Michael Mol wrote:
> > On Friday, April 29, 2016 10:56:28 PM Hans wrote:
> >> On 28/04/16 22:22, Hans wrote:
> >> Kernel 4.4.6 as a bug. x11-drivers/xf86-video-virtualbox does not
> >> compile.
> >> Reason:
> >> /usr/src/linux-4.4.6-gentoo/include/linux/string.h
> >> 'char *strreplace(char *s, char old, char new);' causes compile failure.
> >> "new" is a C++ keyword.
> >> Changing tp 'char *strreplace(char *s, char oldstr, char newstr);' fixes
> >> the problem.
> > 
> > That's not a bug in the kernel per se, that's a bug in using that kernel
> > header (written in C) in a compiler expecting C++ code. Which would make
> > it a bug in xf86-video-virtualbox for not linking against a C-compiled
> > object file.
> > 
> > Granted, it'd be a heck of a lot more convenient if the kernel header
> > files
> > didn't use C++ keywords...but it *is* fundamentally a problem with
> > compiling a source file using the wrong language. Like trying to read
> > something in Portugese, except it was written in Spanish. It might work
> > some of the time, but it'll catch you out eventually.
> 
> The Virtualbox internal runtime compiler, assembler and gcc compiler to
> build executables such as app-emulation/virtualbox-guest-additions, etc.
> use some of the kernel sources and headers.

Assuming those components are using this string.h header file, that just means 
that those components are correctly treating treating these header files as C 
header files, and not C++ header files.

> 
> Kernel 4.1.12 string.h and earlier did not have this silly problem.

That just means that Kernel 4.1.12 string.h and earlier weren't exposing a bug 
in xf86-video-virtualbox. 

The Linux kernel is written in C with a smattering of platform-specific 
assembler, and some other used languages at build time. The header files for 
Linux are written in C. It's built with a C compiler. It's expected to be 
consumed by things expecting to be consuming C.

xf86-video-virtualbox is trying to build C code in a C++ environment, and 
that's not guaranteed to work. In fact, it's semantically broken, as C isn't 
simply a subset of C++, nor is C++ simply a superset of C. They're two 
distinct languages that can be made to work reliably together if you pay 
attention, and the VirtualBox developers...didn't. Linux promises a stable ABI 
for existing API calls, but the symbol name for an *argument* of an API call 
isn't part of the ABI; functions' arguments' names aren't preserved at compile 
time. Similarly, adding new API calls doesn't disrupt existing API calls or 
the ABI, so adding a new API call with an argument named 'new' doesn't violate 
that ABI promise.

Now, an argument can be made that the kernel developers working in C shouldn't 
use C++ keywords, but that's a dangerous slippery slope; there are a *lot* of 
languages out there that are superficially syntactically (and even 
semantically) similar to C, but *aren't*. What makes C++ special enough that 
the kernel should respect it, but not every other language? No...userland is 
built around the kernel, not the other way around--that's what makes it the 
kernel. The kernel has a fairly well-defined set of rules in that it's written 
in a supremely common standardized language, and there exist good practices 
for interfacing code written in that language with code written in other 
languages.

I get that it's frustrating. Just trying to help you understand what's going 
on a a lower level, and why.

-- 
:wq

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[gentoo-user] Re: Kernel upgrade from 4.1.12 to 4.4.6 hangs without writing logs.

[Hans]

On 02/05/16 22:59, Michael Mol wrote:
> On Saturday, April 30, 2016 01:32:54 AM Hans wrote:
>> On 30/04/16 00:28, Michael Mol wrote:
>>> On Friday, April 29, 2016 10:56:28 PM Hans wrote:
>>>> On 28/04/16 22:22, Hans wrote:
>>>> Kernel 4.4.6 as a bug. x11-drivers/xf86-video-virtualbox does not
>>>> compile.
>>>> Reason:
>>>> /usr/src/linux-4.4.6-gentoo/include/linux/string.h
>>>> 'char *strreplace(char *s, char old, char new);' causes compile failure.
>>>> "new" is a C++ keyword.
>>>> Changing tp 'char *strreplace(char *s, char oldstr, char newstr);' fixes
>>>> the problem.
>>>
>>> That's not a bug in the kernel per se, that's a bug in using that kernel
>>> header (written in C) in a compiler expecting C++ code. Which would make
>>> it a bug in xf86-video-virtualbox for not linking against a C-compiled
>>> object file.
>>>
>>> Granted, it'd be a heck of a lot more convenient if the kernel header
>>> files
>>> didn't use C++ keywords...but it *is* fundamentally a problem with
>>> compiling a source file using the wrong language. Like trying to read
>>> something in Portugese, except it was written in Spanish. It might work
>>> some of the time, but it'll catch you out eventually.
>>
>> The Virtualbox internal runtime compiler, assembler and gcc compiler to
>> build executables such as app-emulation/virtualbox-guest-additions, etc.
>> use some of the kernel sources and headers.
>
> Assuming those components are using this string.h header file, that just means
> that those components are correctly treating treating these header files as C
> header files, and not C++ header files.
>
>>
>> Kernel 4.1.12 string.h and earlier did not have this silly problem.
>
> That just means that Kernel 4.1.12 string.h and earlier weren't exposing a bug
> in xf86-video-virtualbox.
>
> The Linux kernel is written in C with a smattering of platform-specific
> assembler, and some other used languages at build time. The header files for
> Linux are written in C. It's built with a C compiler. It's expected to be
> consumed by things expecting to be consuming C.
>
> xf86-video-virtualbox is trying to build C code in a C++ environment, and
> that's not guaranteed to work. In fact, it's semantically broken, as C isn't
> simply a subset of C++, nor is C++ simply a superset of C. They're two
> distinct languages that can be made to work reliably together if you pay
> attention, and the VirtualBox developers...didn't. Linux promises a stable ABI
> for existing API calls, but the symbol name for an *argument* of an API call
> isn't part of the ABI; functions' arguments' names aren't preserved at compile
> time. Similarly, adding new API calls doesn't disrupt existing API calls or
> the ABI, so adding a new API call with an argument named 'new' doesn't violate
> that ABI promise.
>
> Now, an argument can be made that the kernel developers working in C shouldn't
> use C++ keywords, but that's a dangerous slippery slope; there are a *lot* of
> languages out there that are superficially syntactically (and even
> semantically) similar to C, but *aren't*. What makes C++ special enough that
> the kernel should respect it, but not every other language? No...userland is
> built around the kernel, not the other way around--that's what makes it the
> kernel. The kernel has a fairly well-defined set of rules in that it's written
> in a supremely common standardized language, and there exist good practices
> for interfacing code written in that language with code written in other
> languages.
>
> I get that it's frustrating. Just trying to help you understand what's going
> on a a lower level, and why.
>

Just checked Kernel-4.1.12 string.h.
The function declaration 'char *strreplace(char *s, char old, char 
new);' does not exist at all.

The style of functions declarations used is
'char * strcpy(char *,const char *);'
except for 'char *strreplace(char *s, char old, char new);'