I need kernel headers to compile module for vmware tools or Virtualbox guest. How do I install the Linux kernel headers on Debian or Ubuntu Linux operating systems using command line options?
You can easily install the Linux kernel headers for currently running kernel version using the following commands at shell prompt. Header files and scripts for building modules for Linux kernel are included in linux-header-YOUR-Kernel-Version package. Open a terminal and type the command as root user to install linux-headers* package for your running kernel.
Make sure you have updated version
Type the following apt-get command or apt command:
$ sudo apt-get update
OR as root user enter:
# apt-get update
Search for kernel version (optional)
Type the following apt-cache command :
$ apt-cache search linux-headers-$(uname -r)
OR
$ apt search linux-headers-$(uname -r)
Sample outputs:
Sorting... Done Full Text Search... Done linux-headers-4.9.0-3-amd64/testing,now 4.9.30-2 amd64 [installed] Header files for Linux 4.9.0-3-amd64
Install linux-header package under Debian or Ubuntu Linux
Type the following apt-get command:
$ sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)
Here is output from the latest Debian 9:
# apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)
Sample outputs from older system:
Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required: libftdi1 Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them. The following extra packages will be installed: binutils cpp-4.3 gcc-4.3 gcc-4.3-base libc-dev-bin libc6-dev libgmp3c2 libgomp1 libmpfr4 linux-headers-2.6.32-5-common linux-kbuild-2.6.32 linux-libc-dev manpages-dev Suggested packages: binutils-doc gcc-4.3-locales gcc-4.3-multilib libmudflap0-4.3-dev gcc-4.3-doc libgcc1-dbg libgomp1-dbg libmudflap0-dbg glibc-doc Recommended packages: gcc c-compiler The following NEW packages will be installed: binutils cpp-4.3 gcc-4.3 gcc-4.3-base libc-dev-bin libc6-dev libgmp3c2 libgomp1 libmpfr4 linux-headers-2.6.32-5-amd64 linux-headers-2.6.32-5-common linux-kbuild-2.6.32 linux-libc-dev manpages-dev 0 upgraded, 14 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 20.8 MB of archives. After this operation, 68.9 MB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y .... ..
Once installed you can compile modules for VMWare or VirtualBox or anything else you needed. Also make sure you install GNU GCC compiler collection on Debian/Ubuntu Linux:
$ sudo apt-get install build-essential
See apt-get(8) page for more information.
