Usually I keep available one (or more, up to 3-4) previously used kernels. If using only built-in kernel modules --- everything works fine independently on kernel version loaded. But if you have to use additional kernel modules packages... Really available (fully operable) could be only one version of kernel. For example emulated just now procedure of kernel upgrade: # eselect kernel list Available kernel symlink targets: [1] linux-3.3.8-gentoo * [2] linux-3.4.9-gentoo # qlist app-emulation/virtualbox-modules /lib/modules/3.3.8-gentoo/misc/vboxdrv.ko /lib/modules/3.3.8-gentoo/misc/vboxpci.ko /lib/modules/3.3.8-gentoo/misc/vboxnetadp.ko /lib/modules/3.3.8-gentoo/misc/vboxnetflt.ko # eselect kernel set 2 # qlist app-emulation/virtualbox-modules /lib/modules/3.4.9-gentoo/misc/vboxdrv.ko /lib/modules/3.4.9-gentoo/misc/vboxpci.ko /lib/modules/3.4.9-gentoo/misc/vboxnetadp.ko /lib/modules/3.4.9-gentoo/misc/vboxnetflt.ko So, actually kernel 3.3.8 becomes not full functional. Similiar issue I remember much earlier with other packages. To my mind, issue could be solved by redefining pkg_uninstall function in all kernel-modules ebuild to just: return leaving installed modules to be removed with ones installed with base kernel. # emerge --info Portage 2.1.11.9 (default/linux/amd64/10.0, gcc-4.5.4, glibc-2.15-r2, 3.4.9-gentoo x86_64) ================================================================= System uname: Linux-3.4.9-gentoo-x86_64-AMD_Athlon-tm-_II_X2_250_Processor-with-gentoo-2.1 Timestamp of tree: Mon, 15 Oct 2012 04:15:01 +0000 app-shells/bash: 4.2_p37 dev-java/java-config: 2.1.11-r3 dev-lang/python: 2.7.3-r2, 3.2.3 dev-util/cmake: 2.8.7-r5 dev-util/pkgconfig: 0.27.1 sys-apps/baselayout: 2.1-r1 sys-apps/openrc: 0.9.8.4 sys-apps/sandbox: 2.5 sys-devel/autoconf: 2.13, 2.68 sys-devel/automake: 1.9.6-r3, 1.11.6 sys-devel/binutils: 2.22-r1 sys-devel/gcc: 4.5.4 sys-devel/gcc-config: 1.7.3 sys-devel/libtool: 2.4-r1 sys-devel/make: 3.82-r3 sys-kernel/linux-headers: 3.4-r2 (virtual/os-headers) sys-libs/glibc: 2.15-r2 Repositories: gentoo location: /usr/portage sync: rsync://rsync.mirror.mydomain.ru/gentoo-portage/ priority: -1000 x-portage location: /usr/local/portage masters: gentoo priority: 0 ABI="amd64" ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="amd64" ACCEPT_LICENSE="* -@EULA" ACCEPT_PROPERTIES="*" ALSA_CARDS="ali5451 als4000 atiixp atiixp-modem bt87x ca0106 cmipci emu10k1x ens1370 ens1371 es1938 es1968 fm801 hda-intel intel8x0 intel8x0m maestro3 trident usb-audio via82xx via82xx-modem ymfpci" ALSA_PCM_PLUGINS="adpcm alaw asym copy dmix dshare dsnoop empty extplug file hooks iec958 ioplug ladspa lfloat linear meter mmap_emul mulaw multi null plug rate route share shm softvol" APACHE2_MODULES="authn_core authz_core socache_shmcb unixd actions alias auth_basic authn_alias authn_anon authn_dbm authn_default authn_file authz_dbm authz_default authz_groupfile authz_host authz_owner authz_user autoindex cache cgi cgid dav dav_fs dav_lock deflate dir disk_cache env expires ext_filter file_cache filter headers include info log_config logio mem_cache mime mime_magic negotiation rewrite setenvif speling status unique_id userdir usertrack vhost_alias" ARCH="amd64" AUTOCLEAN="yes" BOOTSTRAP_USE="cxx unicode multilib" CALLIGRA_FEATURES="kexi words flow plan sheets stage tables krita karbon braindump" CAMERAS="ptp2" CBUILD="x86_64-pc-linux-gnu" CFLAGS="-march=native -O2 -pipe" CFLAGS_amd64="-m64" CFLAGS_x32="-mx32" CFLAGS_x86="-m32" CHOST="x86_64-pc-linux-gnu" CHOST_amd64="x86_64-pc-linux-gnu" CHOST_x32="x86_64-pc-linux-gnux32" CHOST_x86="i686-pc-linux-gnu" CLEAN_DELAY="5" COLLECTD_PLUGINS="df interface irq load memory rrdtool swap syslog" COLLISION_IGNORE="/lib/modules/* *.py[co]" COLORTERM="Terminal" CONFIG_PROTECT="/etc /usr/share/gnupg/qualified.txt /var/bind" CONFIG_PROTECT_MASK="/etc/ca-certificates.conf /etc/env.d /etc/env.d/java/ /etc/fonts/fonts.conf /etc/gconf /etc/gentoo-release /etc/php/apache2-php5.4/ext-active/ /etc/php/cgi-php5.4/ext-active/ /etc/php/cli-php5.4/ext-active/ /etc/revdep-rebuild /etc/sandbox.d /etc/terminfo /etc/texmf/language.dat.d /etc/texmf/language.def.d /etc/texmf/updmap.d /etc/texmf/web2c" CXXFLAGS="-march=native -O2 -pipe" C_INCLUDE_PATH="/usr/lib64/oracle/10.2.0.3/client/include" DEFAULT_ABI="amd64" DISPLAY=":0.0" DISTDIR="/usr/portage/distfiles" EDITOR="/usr/bin/vi" ELIBC="glibc" EMERGE_DEFAULT_OPTS="--ask --verbose --autounmask=n" EMERGE_WARNING_DELAY="10" EPREFIX="" EROOT="/" FCFLAGS="-O2 -pipe" FEATURES="assume-digests binpkg-logs buildsyspkg config-protect-if-modified distlocks ebuild-locks fixlafiles news parallel-fetch parse-eapi-ebuild-head protect-owned sandbox sfperms strict unknown-features-warn unmerge-logs unmerge-orphans userfetch" FETCHCOMMAND="wget -t 3 -T 60 --passive-ftp -O "${DISTDIR}/${FILE}" "${URI}"" FETCHCOMMAND_RSYNC="rsync -avP "${URI}" "${DISTDIR}/${FILE}"" FETCHCOMMAND_SFTP="bash -c "x=\${2#sftp://} ; host=\${x%%/*} ; port=\${host##*:} ; host=\${host%:*} ; [[ \${host} = \${port} ]] && port=22 ; exec sftp -P \${port} \"\${host}:/\${x#*/}\" \"\$1\"" sftp "${DISTDIR}/${FILE}" "${URI}"" FETCHCOMMAND_SSH="bash -c "x=\${2#ssh://} ; host=\${x%%/*} ; port=\${host##*:} ; host=\${host%:*} ; [[ \${host} = \${port} ]] && port=22 ; exec rsync --rsh=\"ssh -p\${port}\" -avP \"\${host}:/\${x#*/}\" \"\$1\"" rsync "${DISTDIR}/${FILE}" "${URI}"" FFLAGS="-O2 -pipe" GCC_SPECS="" GDK_USE_XFT="1" GENTOO_MIRRORS="http://mirror.yandex.ru/gentoo-distfiles/ ftp://mirror.yandex.ru/gentoo-distfiles/ http://ftp.corbina.net/pub/Linux/gentoo/ ftp://ftp.corbina.net/pub/Linux/gentoo/" GPSD_PROTOCOLS="ashtech aivdm earthmate evermore fv18 garmin garmintxt gpsclock itrax mtk3301 nmea ntrip navcom oceanserver oldstyle oncore rtcm104v2 rtcm104v3 sirf superstar2 timing tsip tripmate tnt ubx" GRUB_PLATFORMS="" GSETTINGS_BACKEND="gconf" HOME="/root" INFOPATH="/usr/share/info:/usr/share/gcc-data/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/4.5.4/info:/usr/share/binutils-data/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/2.22/info" INPUT_DEVICES="evdev" IUSE_IMPLICIT="prefix" JAVAC="/etc/java-config-2/current-system-vm/bin/javac" JAVA_HOME="/etc/java-config-2/current-system-vm" JDK_HOME="/etc/java-config-2/current-system-vm" KERNEL="linux" LANG="ru_RU.utf8" LCD_DEVICES="bayrad cfontz cfontz633 glk hd44780 lb216 lcdm001 mtxorb ncurses text" LC_ALL="" LDFLAGS="-Wl,-O1 -Wl,--as-needed" LDFLAGS_amd64="-m elf_x86_64" LDFLAGS_x32="-m elf32_x86_64" LDFLAGS_x86="-m elf_i386" LESS="-R -M --shift 5" LESSOPEN="|lesspipe %s" LIBDIR_amd64="lib64" LIBDIR_amd64_fbsd="lib64" LIBDIR_n32="lib32" LIBDIR_n64="lib64" LIBDIR_o32="lib" LIBDIR_ppc="lib32" LIBDIR_ppc64="lib64" LIBDIR_s390="lib32" LIBDIR_s390x="lib64" LIBDIR_sparc32="lib32" LIBDIR_sparc64="lib64" LIBDIR_x32="libx32" LIBDIR_x86="lib32" LIBDIR_x86_fbsd="lib32" LIBREOFFICE_EXTENSIONS="presenter-console presenter-minimizer" LINGUAS="ru" LOGNAME="root" LS_COLORS="rs=0:di=01;34:ln=01;36:mh=00:pi=40;33:so=01;35:do=01;35:bd=40;33;01:cd=40;33;01:or=01;05;37;41:mi=01;05;37;41:su=37;41:sg=30;43:ca=30;41:tw=30;42:ow=34;42:st=37;44:ex=01;32:*.tar=01;31:*.tgz=01;31:*.arj=01;31:*.taz=01;31:*.lzh=01;31:*.lzma=01;31:*.tlz=01;31:*.txz=01;31:*.zip=01;31:*.z=01;31:*.Z=01;31:*.dz=01;31:*.gz=01;31:*.lz=01;31:*.xz=01;31:*.bz2=01;31:*.bz=01;31:*.tbz=01;31:*.tbz2=01;31:*.tz=01;31:*.deb=01;31:*.rpm=01;31:*.jar=01;31:*.war=01;31:*.ear=01;31:*.sar=01;31:*.rar=01;31:*.ace=01;31:*.zoo=01;31:*.cpio=01;31:*.7z=01;31:*.rz=01;31:*.jpg=01;35:*.jpeg=01;35:*.gif=01;35:*.bmp=01;35:*.pbm=01;35:*.pgm=01;35:*.ppm=01;35:*.tga=01;35:*.xbm=01;35:*.xpm=01;35:*.tif=01;35:*.tiff=01;35:*.png=01;35:*.svg=01;35:*.svgz=01;35:*.mng=01;35:*.pcx=01;35:*.mov=01;35:*.mpg=01;35:*.mpeg=01;35:*.m2v=01;35:*.mkv=01;35:*.webm=01;35:*.ogm=01;35:*.mp4=01;35:*.m4v=01;35:*.mp4v=01;35:*.vob=01;35:*.qt=01;35:*.nuv=01;35:*.wmv=01;35:*.asf=01;35:*.rm=01;35:*.rmvb=01;35:*.flc=01;35:*.avi=01;35:*.fli=01;35:*.flv=01;35:*.gl=01;35:*.dl=01;35:*.xcf=01;35:*.xwd=01;35:*.yuv=01;35:*.cgm=01;35:*.emf=01;35:*.axv=01;35:*.anx=01;35:*.ogv=01;35:*.ogx=01;35:*.pdf=00;32:*.ps=00;32:*.txt=00;32:*.patch=00;32:*.diff=00;32:*.log=00;32:*.tex=00;32:*.doc=00;32:*.aac=00;36:*.au=00;36:*.flac=00;36:*.mid=00;36:*.midi=00;36:*.mka=00;36:*.mp3=00;36:*.mpc=00;36:*.ogg=00;36:*.ra=00;36:*.wav=00;36:*.axa=00;36:*.oga=00;36:*.spx=00;36:*.xspf=00;36:" MAKEOPTS="-j2" MANPATH="/etc/java-config-2/current-system-vm/man:/usr/local/share/man:/usr/share/man:/usr/share/gcc-data/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/4.5.4/man:/usr/share/binutils-data/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/2.22/man:/etc/java-config/system-vm/man/:/usr/lib64/php5.4/man/" MULTILIB_ABIS="amd64 x86" MULTILIB_STRICT_DENY="64-bit.*shared object" MULTILIB_STRICT_DIRS="/lib32 /lib /usr/lib32 /usr/lib /usr/kde/*/lib32 /usr/kde/*/lib /usr/qt/*/lib32 /usr/qt/*/lib /usr/X11R6/lib32 /usr/X11R6/lib" MULTILIB_STRICT_EXEMPT="(perl5|gcc|gcc-lib|binutils|eclipse-3|debug|portage|udev)" NETBEANS="apisupport cnd groovy gsf harness ide identity j2ee java mobility nb php profiler soa visualweb webcommon websvccommon xml" NLS_LANG="russian_cis.cl8iso8859p5" OLDPWD="/usr/src/linux-3.3.8-gentoo" OPENGL_PROFILE="xorg-x11" ORACLE_HOME="/usr/lib64/oracle/10.2.0.3/client" PAGER="/usr/bin/less" PATH="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/opt/bin:/usr/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/gcc-bin/4.5.4:~/bin" PHP_TARGETS="php5-3" PKGDIR="/usr/portage/packages" PORTAGE_ARCHLIST="ppc sparc64-freebsd ppc-openbsd x86-openbsd ppc64 x86-winnt x86-fbsd ppc-aix alpha arm x86-freebsd s390 amd64 arm-linux x86-macos x64-openbsd ia64-hpux hppa x86-netbsd ppc64-linux x86-cygwin amd64-linux ia64-linux x86 sparc-solaris x64-freebsd sparc64-solaris x86-linux x64-macos sparc m68k-mint ia64 mips ppc-macos x86-interix hppa-hpux amd64-fbsd x64-solaris m68k sh x86-solaris sparc-fbsd" PORTAGE_BINHOST_CHUNKSIZE="3000" PORTAGE_BIN_PATH="/usr/lib64/portage/bin" PORTAGE_COMPRESS_EXCLUDE_SUFFIXES="css gif htm[l]? jp[e]?g js pdf png" PORTAGE_CONFIGROOT="/" PORTAGE_DEBUG="0" PORTAGE_DEPCACHEDIR="/var/cache/edb/dep" PORTAGE_ELOG_CLASSES="log warn error" PORTAGE_ELOG_MAILFROM="portage@localhost" PORTAGE_ELOG_MAILSUBJECT="[portage] ebuild log for ${PACKAGE} on ${HOST}" PORTAGE_ELOG_MAILURI="root" PORTAGE_ELOG_SYSTEM="save_summary echo" PORTAGE_FETCH_CHECKSUM_TRY_MIRRORS="5" PORTAGE_FETCH_RESUME_MIN_SIZE="350K" PORTAGE_GID="250" PORTAGE_GPG_SIGNING_COMMAND="gpg --sign --digest-algo SHA256 --clearsign --yes --default-key "${PORTAGE_GPG_KEY}" --homedir "${PORTAGE_GPG_DIR}" "${FILE}"" PORTAGE_INST_GID="0" PORTAGE_INST_UID="0" PORTAGE_OVERRIDE_EPREFIX="" PORTAGE_PYM_PATH="/usr/lib64/portage/pym" PORTAGE_RSYNC_OPTS="--recursive --links --safe-links --perms --times --compress --force --whole-file --delete --stats --human-readable --timeout=180 --exclude=/distfiles --exclude=/local --exclude=/packages" PORTAGE_RSYNC_RETRIES="-1" PORTAGE_SYNC_STALE="30" PORTAGE_TMPDIR="/var/tmp" PORTAGE_VERBOSE="1" PORTAGE_WORKDIR_MODE="0700" PORTDIR="/usr/portage" PORTDIR_OVERLAY="/usr/local/portage" PORT_LOGDIR_CLEAN="find "${PORT_LOGDIR}" -type f ! -name "summary.log*" -mtime +7 -delete" PRELINK_PATH_MASK="/usr/lib64/libfreebl3.so:/usr/lib64/libnssdbm3.so:/usr/lib64/libsoftokn3.so" PROFILE_ONLY_VARIABLES="ARCH ELIBC IUSE_IMPLICIT KERNEL USERLAND USE_EXPAND_IMPLICIT USE_EXPAND_UNPREFIXED USE_EXPAND_VALUES_ARCH USE_EXPAND_VALUES_ELIBC USE_EXPAND_VALUES_KERNEL USE_EXPAND_VALUES_USERLAND" PWD="/root" PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE="1" PYTHON_TARGETS="python3_2 python2_7" QT_GRAPHICSSYSTEM="raster" RESUMECOMMAND="wget -c -t 3 -T 60 --passive-ftp -O "${DISTDIR}/${FILE}" "${URI}"" RESUMECOMMAND_RSYNC="rsync -avP "${URI}" "${DISTDIR}/${FILE}"" RESUMECOMMAND_SSH="bash -c "x=\${2#ssh://} ; host=\${x%%/*} ; port=\${host##*:} ; host=\${host%:*} ; [[ \${host} = \${port} ]] && port=22 ; exec rsync --rsh=\"ssh -p\${port}\" -avP \"\${host}:/\${x#*/}\" \"\$1\"" rsync "${DISTDIR}/${FILE}" "${URI}"" ROOT="/" ROOTPATH="/opt/bin:/usr/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/gcc-bin/4.5.4" RPMDIR="/usr/portage/rpm" RUBYOPT="-rauto_gem" RUBY_TARGETS="ruby18 ruby19" SHELL="/bin/bash" SHLVL="1" SYMLINK_LIB="yes" SYNC="rsync://rsync.mirror.mydomain.ru/gentoo-portage/" TERM="xterm" TNS_ADMIN="/etc/oracle/" UNINSTALL_IGNORE="/lib/modules/*" USE="X a52 ac3 acl alsa amd64 avi berkdb bold bzip2 cdr cli consolekit cracklib crypt cups cxx dbus djvu dri dvd flac fortran gdbm gif gtk iconv jpeg jpeg2k lock mmx modules mp3 mudflap multilib ncurses nls nptl ogg openmp pam pcre pdf png policykit pppd qt3support readline session sse sse2 ssl tcpd thunar tiff udev unicode utf8 vorbis xcb xulrunner zlib" ALSA_CARDS="ali5451 als4000 atiixp atiixp-modem bt87x ca0106 cmipci emu10k1x ens1370 ens1371 es1938 es1968 fm801 hda-intel intel8x0 intel8x0m maestro3 trident usb-audio via82xx via82xx-modem ymfpci" ALSA_PCM_PLUGINS="adpcm alaw asym copy dmix dshare dsnoop empty extplug file hooks iec958 ioplug ladspa lfloat linear meter mmap_emul mulaw multi null plug rate route share shm softvol" APACHE2_MODULES="authn_core authz_core socache_shmcb unixd actions alias auth_basic authn_alias authn_anon authn_dbm authn_default authn_file authz_dbm authz_default authz_groupfile authz_host authz_owner authz_user autoindex cache cgi cgid dav dav_fs dav_lock deflate dir disk_cache env expires ext_filter file_cache filter headers include info log_config logio mem_cache mime mime_magic negotiation rewrite setenvif speling status unique_id userdir usertrack vhost_alias" CALLIGRA_FEATURES="kexi words flow plan sheets stage tables krita karbon braindump" CAMERAS="ptp2" COLLECTD_PLUGINS="df interface irq load memory rrdtool swap syslog" ELIBC="glibc" GPSD_PROTOCOLS="ashtech aivdm earthmate evermore fv18 garmin garmintxt gpsclock itrax mtk3301 nmea ntrip navcom oceanserver oldstyle oncore rtcm104v2 rtcm104v3 sirf superstar2 timing tsip tripmate tnt ubx" INPUT_DEVICES="evdev" KERNEL="linux" LCD_DEVICES="bayrad cfontz cfontz633 glk hd44780 lb216 lcdm001 mtxorb ncurses text" LIBREOFFICE_EXTENSIONS="presenter-console presenter-minimizer" LINGUAS="ru" PHP_TARGETS="php5-3" PYTHON_TARGETS="python3_2 python2_7" RUBY_TARGETS="ruby18 ruby19" USERLAND="GNU" VIDEO_CARDS="radeon" XTABLES_ADDONS="quota2 psd pknock lscan length2 ipv4options ipset ipp2p iface geoip fuzzy condition tee tarpit sysrq steal rawnat logmark ipmark dhcpmac delude chaos account" USER="root" USERLAND="GNU" USE_EXPAND="ALSA_CARDS ALSA_PCM_PLUGINS APACHE2_MODULES APACHE2_MPMS CALLIGRA_FEATURES CAMERAS COLLECTD_PLUGINS CROSSCOMPILE_OPTS CURL_SSL DRACUT_MODULES DVB_CARDS ELIBC FCDSL_CARDS FFTOOLS FOO2ZJS_DEVICES FRITZCAPI_CARDS GPSD_PROTOCOLS GRUB_PLATFORMS INPUT_DEVICES KERNEL LCD_DEVICES LIBREOFFICE_EXTENSIONS LINGUAS LIRC_DEVICES MISDN_CARDS NETBEANS_MODULES NGINX_MODULES_HTTP NGINX_MODULES_MAIL OFED_DRIVERS OPENMPI_FABRICS OPENMPI_OFED_FEATURES OPENMPI_RM PHP_TARGETS PYTHON_TARGETS QEMU_SOFTMMU_TARGETS QEMU_USER_TARGETS RUBY_TARGETS SANE_BACKENDS USERLAND VIDEO_CARDS VOICEMAIL_STORAGE XFCE_PLUGINS XTABLES_ADDONS" USE_EXPAND_HIDDEN="CROSSCOMPILE_OPTS ELIBC KERNEL USERLAND" USE_EXPAND_IMPLICIT="ARCH ELIBC KERNEL USERLAND" USE_EXPAND_UNPREFIXED="ARCH" USE_EXPAND_VALUES_ARCH="alpha amd64 amd64-fbsd amd64-linux arm arm-linux hppa hppa-hpux ia64 ia64-hpux ia64-linux m68k m68k-mint mips ppc ppc64 ppc64-linux ppc-aix ppc-macos ppc-openbsd s390 sh sparc sparc64-freebsd sparc64-solaris sparc-fbsd sparc-solaris x64-freebsd x64-macos x64-openbsd x64-solaris x86 x86-cygwin x86-fbsd x86-freebsd x86-interix x86-linux x86-macos x86-netbsd x86-openbsd x86-solaris x86-winnt" USE_EXPAND_VALUES_ELIBC="AIX Cygwin Darwin FreeBSD glibc HPUX Interix mintlib NetBSD OpenBSD SunOS uclibc Winnt" USE_EXPAND_VALUES_KERNEL="AIX Cygwin Darwin FreeBSD freemint HPUX Interix linux NetBSD OpenBSD SunOS Winnt" USE_EXPAND_VALUES_USERLAND="BSD GNU" USE_ORDER="env:pkg:conf:defaults:pkginternal:repo:env.d" VBOX_APP_HOME="/usr/lib64/virtualbox" VIDEO_CARDS="radeon" XAUTHORITY="/root/.xauthi2tfNy" XDG_CONFIG_DIRS="/etc/xdg" XDG_DATA_DIRS="/usr/local/share:/usr/share" XSESSION="Xfce4" XTABLES_ADDONS="quota2 psd pknock lscan length2 ipv4options ipset ipp2p iface geoip fuzzy condition tee tarpit sysrq steal rawnat logmark ipmark dhcpmac delude chaos account"
Currently (sys-apps/portage-2.2.7) issue seems to be gone away, at least particularly: After kernel upgrade (together with boot into new kernel) but prior to rebuild kernel modules package(s): # qlist app-emulation/virtualbox-modules /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxnetflt.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxnetadp.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxpci.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxdrv.ko # find /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/ -type f -name 'vbox*' /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxnetadp.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxpci.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxvideo.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxsf.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxdrv.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxguest.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxnetflt.ko Rebuild: emerge -1 app-emulation/virtualbox-modules … >>> Safely unmerging already-installed instance... No package files given... Grabbing a set. --- cfgpro obj /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxpci.ko --- cfgpro obj /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxnetflt.ko --- cfgpro obj /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxnetadp.ko --- cfgpro obj /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxdrv.ko --- cfgpro dir /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc --- cfgpro dir /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1 --- replaced dir /lib/modules --- cfgpro dir /lib * Removing app-emulation/virtualbox-modules-4.2.18 from moduledb. >>> Original instance of package unmerged safely. … (portage cleaned module database and reports about success unmergeing package) Now list of package's files points on new kernel: # qlist app-emulation/virtualbox-modules /lib/modules/3.10.17-aufs/misc/vboxnetflt.ko /lib/modules/3.10.17-aufs/misc/vboxnetadp.ko /lib/modules/3.10.17-aufs/misc/vboxpci.ko /lib/modules/3.10.17-aufs/misc/vboxdrv.ko But repeat check shows not changed list of files in modules directory of my previous kernel: # find /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/ -type f -name 'vbox*' /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxnetadp.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxpci.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxvideo.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxsf.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxdrv.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxguest.ko /lib/modules/3.10.7-gentoo-r1/misc/vboxnetflt.ko And it confuses me.
you've always had to rebuild packages when switching kernel versions. this isn't new. as for making things smoother by building modules for all available kernels, we have a bug for that. *** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 195128 ***
It looked a good idea. But some modules (vbox*) depends not only on kernel version, but also on application version (virtualbox). When trying to start virtual machine with modules, build for previous kernel and previous version of virtualbox, it fails with error message like (quote for 6.1.36): > Failed to load R0 module /usr/lib64/virtualbox/VMMR0.r0: Unable to locate imported symbol 'SUPR0FpuBegin' for module 'VMMR0.r0' (VERR_SYMBOL_NOT_FOUND). Failed to load VMMR0.r0 (VERR_SYMBOL_NOT_FOUND). So, it works only for almost semi-time test kernels. That is also good thing.
