Parallel tools fail to install (compile) on latest 5.8 kernel for ubuntu

This causes a lot of issues with graphics.
Looking at /var/log/parallels-tools-install.log I see compilation errors:
1: /lib/modules/5.8.0-36-generic/build
2: /usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods/prl_tg/Toolgate/Guest/Linux/prl_tg
3: 20210111
4: 1.7.0
Start compile prl_tg...
make -C /lib/modules/5.8.0-36-generic/build M=/usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods/prl_tg/Toolgate/Guest/Linux/prl_tg SRCROOT=/usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods/prl_tg/Toolgate/Guest/Linux/prl_tg CC=cc modules
make[2]: Entering directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-5.8.0-36-generic'
1: /lib/modules/5.8.0-36-generic/build
2: /usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods/prl_tg/Toolgate/Guest/Linux/prl_tg
3: 20210111
4: 1.7.0
CC [M] /usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods/prl_tg/Toolgate/Guest/Linux/prl_tg/prltg.o
/usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods/prl_tg/Toolgate/Guest/Linux/prl_tg/prltg.c: In function 'prltg_proc_create_data':
/usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods/prl_tg/Toolgate/Guest/Linux/prl_tg/prltg.c:405:46: error: passing argument 4 of 'proc_create_data' from incompatible pointer type [-Werror=incompatible-pointer-types]
405 | return proc_create_data(name, mode, parent, fops, data);
| ^~~~
| |
| struct file_operations *
In file included from /usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods/prl_tg/Toolgate/Guest/Linux/prl_tg/prltg.c:10:
./include/linux/proc_fs.h:102:31: note: expected 'const struct proc_ops *' but argument is of type 'struct file_operations *'
102 | extern struct proc_dir_entry *proc_create_data(const char *, umode_t,
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
cc1: some warnings being treated as errors
make[3]: *** [scripts/Makefile.build:290: /usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods/prl_tg/Toolgate/Guest/Linux/prl_tg/prltg.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** [Makefile:1780: /usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods/prl_tg/Toolgate/Guest/Linux/prl_tg] Error 2
make[2]: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-5.8.0-36-generic'
make[1]: *** [Makefile:42: prl_tg] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory '/usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods/prl_tg/Toolgate/Guest/Linux/prl_tg'
make: *** [Makefile.kmods:31: compile] Error 2
make: Leaving directory '/usr/lib/parallels-tools/kmods'
Error: could not build kernel modules
Error during report about failed installation of parallels tools.
Error: failed to upgrade Parallels Guest Tools!



I used an older kernel (and reinstalled the tools) and it works :
uname -a
Linux kkougios-pc 5.4.0-59-generic #65-Ubuntu SMP Thu Dec 10 12:01:51 UTC 2020 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
It probably requires a fix from parallels. Or is it my system?

 

I seem to recall there was a patch that fixed that struct change quite a long time ago.
What version of Parallels are you running? If it's 14.x or 15.x there may be several patches you may have to apply. Only one needs to be applied if it's 16.x.

 

Thanks for the reply, I noticed that I can't update parallels. I got version 15.1.4 and it says "Unable to check for updates". I've checked my hosts file and it is empty (apart from local host)

 

I had to upgrade to v16. Now parallels tools install ok. But slack is broken, the window opens initially blank then after a few seconds a white rectangle is drawn in the corner.

I had this issue before with a couple of software I installed via snap. I thought it is a snap thing. The same software works fine on my other PC with ubuntu.

 

I assume you're talking about the Slack app, which is really a glorified one-site browser.
There might be a video setting you can add. Perhaps adding 'video.metal=0' (unsure of exact syntax, perhaps someone can pipe in) will work.

 

Where do I add this setting?

Chrome seems to be a bit weird sometimes when rendering. When I open a tab sometimes the top bar buttons start flashing or disappear.

Hiri was the other software. This one didn't work on parallels v15 and it doesn't work on 16 either. When I start it, the window is blank and after a while it crashes my desktop back to the login screen.

I think there is an issue emulating the graphic cards which affects some software. I don't know if hiri is browser based, maybe those all are and are affected by chrome's graphics optimizations.

 

Configure -> Hardware (tab) -> Boot order (item on left) -> Advanced Settings (disclosure triangle) -> Boot flags: (enter it in the text box)

 

can also try 'video.gl3=3' which has solved some graphics problems for people on other things.

 

ok thanks, tried both, it seems to fix chrome & slack. Hiri still crashes the desktop but I am not using it so don't care much.
What do these flags do?

 

they switch in and out which graphics modules to use. I think 0 disables and the glx3 one gives it priority... I think. There are others, but I forget where the cheat sheet for boot options is.

 

Check that... the glx3 setting is the sub-version number. 0 uses Open GL3 v3.0, 1 uses 3.1, etc. So you might want to play with that.