[Bug 2147081] [NEW] Cannot install displaylink-driver because of missing kernel headers

You have been subscribed to a public bug: I am running Ubuntu 25.10 on a Lenovo X1 Gen13 and ran into the problem that the external display doesn't work with a connected Lenovo docking station. This is a well-known problem and the solution is to manually install the synaptics DisplayLink driver. The laptop came preinstalled with kernel 6.17.0-1012-oem. However, I cannot manually install because the corresponding kernel headers are not available and they are also nowhere to be found. I followed the instructions on the synaptics website (adding the apt repository): https://www.synaptics.com/products/displaylink-graphics/downloads/ubuntu But I see the following error: =========================================================== root@laptop:/home/andreas# apt install displaylink-driver Installing: displaylink-driver Installing dependencies: dkms evdi Suggested packages: xmlstarlet menu Summary: Upgrading: 0, Installing: 3, Removing: 0, Not Upgrading: 0 Download size: 0 B / 7,128 kB Space needed: 245 kB / 614 GB available Continue? [Y/n] Y Selecting previously unselected package dkms. (Reading database ... 315615 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../dkms_3.2.0-1ubuntu1_all.deb ... Unpacking dkms (3.2.0-1ubuntu1) ... Selecting previously unselected package evdi. Preparing to unpack .../evdi_1.14.15-181_amd64.deb ... Unpacking evdi (1.14.15-181) ... Selecting previously unselected package displaylink-driver. Preparing to unpack .../displaylink-driver_6.2.0-30_amd64.deb ... Unpacking displaylink-driver (6.2.0-30) ... Setting up dkms (3.2.0-1ubuntu1) ... Setting up evdi (1.14.15-181) ... Creating symlink /var/lib/dkms/evdi/1.14.15/source -> /usr/src/evdi-1.14.15 Error! Your kernel headers for kernel 6.17.0-1012-oem cannot be found at /lib/modules/6.17.0-1012-oem/build or /lib/modules/6.17.0-1012-oem/source. Please install the linux-headers-6.17.0-1012-oem package or use the --kernelsourcedir option to tell DKMS where it's located. dpkg: error processing package evdi (--configure): installed evdi package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 21 dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of displaylink-driver: displaylink-driver depends on evdi (>= 1.12.0) | evdi-dkms (>= 1.12.0); however: Package evdi is not configured yet. Package evdi-dkms is not installed. Package evdi which provides evdi-dkms is not configured yet. displaylink-driver depends on evdi (>= 1.12.0) | libevdi1 (>= 1.12.0); however: Package evdi is not configured yet. Package libevdi1 is not installed. Package evdi which provides libevdi1 is not configured yet. dpkg: error processing package displaylink-driver (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure. Processing triggers for man-db (2.13.1-1) ... Errors were encountered while processing: evdi displaylink-driver Error: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1) ============================================================== root@laptop:/home/andreas# dpkg -l | grep oem ii linux-image-6.17.0-1012-oem 6.17.0-1012.12 amd64 Signed kernel image oem ii linux-modules-6.17.0-1012-oem 6.17.0-1012.12 amd64 Linux kernel modules for version 6.17.0 ii linux-modules-ipu6-6.17.0-1012-oem 6.17.0-1012.12 amd64 Linux kernel ipu6 modules for version 6.17.0-1012 ii linux-modules-ipu7-6.17.0-1012-oem 6.17.0-1012.12 amd64 Linux kernel ipu7 modules for version 6.17.0-1012 ii linux-modules-usbio-6.17.0-1012-oem 6.17.0-1012.12 amd64 Linux kernel usbio modules for version 6.17.0-1012 ii linux-modules-vision-6.17.0-1012-oem 6.17.0-1012.12 amd64 Linux kernel vision modules for version6.17.0-1012 ii linux-oem-6.17-tools-6.17.0-1012 6.17.0-1012.12 amd64 Linux kernel version specific tools forversion 6.17.0-1012 ii linux-tools-6.17.0-1012-oem 6.17.0-1012.12 amd64 Linux kernel version specific tools forversion 6.17.0-1012 ii oem-hwe-meta 24.04ubuntu3 all hardware support for hwe project ii oem-nantou-meta 24.04ubuntu3 all hardware support for Nantou project ii oem-sutton-factory-dacia-meta 24.04ubuntu7 all hardware support for Lenovo ThinkPad X12-in-1 G10, X1 Carbon G13 (factory) ii oem-sutton-factory-meta 24.04ubuntu3 amd64 factory meta package for Sutton ii ubuntu-oem-keyring 2023.11.28.1 all GnuPG keys of the Ubuntu OEM Vendor Archive ====================================== root@laptop:/home/andreas# lsb_release -rd Description: Ubuntu 25.10 Release: 25.10 ====================================== root@laptop:/home/andreas# apt-cache policy displaylink-driver displaylink-driver: Installed: (none) Candidate: 6.2.0-30 Version table: 6.2.0-30 500 500 https://www.synaptics.com/sites/default/files/Ubuntu stable/non-free amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status 6.1.1-17 500 500 https://www.synaptics.com/sites/default/files/Ubuntu stable/non-free amd64 Packages 6.1.0-17 500 500 https://www.synaptics.com/sites/default/files/Ubuntu stable/non-free amd64 Packages 6.0.0-24 500 500 https://www.synaptics.com/sites/default/files/Ubuntu stable/non-free amd64 Packages 5.8.0-33 500 500 https://www.synaptics.com/sites/default/files/Ubuntu stable/non-free amd64 Packages 5.7.0-129 500 500 https://www.synaptics.com/sites/default/files/Ubuntu stable/non-free amd64 Packages =============================================== ** Affects: linux (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Tags: kernel-daily-bug -- Cannot install displaylink-driver because of missing kernel headers https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2147081 You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to linux in Ubuntu.