Single machine setup, my kernel cache is in c:KernelCache. The Launcher Output reads

VisualKernel: Executing predebug actions
VisualKernel: Executing predebug actions

I fixed the above error, digging though some mailing lists others noted (in different contexts) that having the -O0 flag present causes this and the -O2 apparent works. It did. Now I get the following

Failed to start debugging session, GDB has reported the following error: cannot determine GDB stub port for virtual machine …. Please build your project first. If this does not help, check GDB startup parameters in VisualKernel project settings.

The GDB interaction reads

Your VisualKernel trial expires in 29 days!
C:Program Files (x86)SysprogsVisualKernelKernelToolsamd64x86_64-linux-gnu-gdb.exe –interpreter mi
-file-exec-and-symbols “c:\KernelCache\3.5.0-21-generic_0.kernel\vmlinux-3.5.0-21-generic”
=thread-group-added,id=”i1″
GNU gdb (GDB) 7.7
Copyright (C) 2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <[snip]>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. Type “show copying”
and “show warranty” for details.
This GDB was configured as “–host=i686-pc-mingw32 –target=x86_64-linux-gnu”.
Type “show configuration” for configuration details.
For bug reporting instructions, please see:
<[snip]>.
Find the GDB manual and other documentation resources online at:
<[snip]>.
For help, type “help”.
Type “apropos word” to search for commands related to “word”.
OK
-list-features
^done,features=[“frozen-varobjs”,”pending-breakpoints”,”thread-info”,”data-read-memory-bytes”,”breakpoint-notifications”,”ada-task-info”,”language-option”,”info-gdb-mi-command”,”undefined-command-error-code”,”exec-run-start-option”]
-gdb-set stop-on-solib-events 1
OK
-data-list-register-names
^done,register-names=[“rax”,”rbx”,”rcx”,”rdx”,”rsi”,”rdi”,”rbp”,”rsp”,”r8″,”r9″,”r10″,”r11″,”r12″,”r13″,”r14″,”r15″,”rip”,”eflags”,”cs”,”ss”,”ds”,”es”,”fs”,”gs”,”st0″,”st1″,”st2″,”st3″,”st4″,”st5″,”st6″,”st7″,”fctrl”,”fstat”,”ftag”,”fiseg”,”fioff”,”foseg”,”fooff”,”fop”,”xmm0″,”xmm1″,”xmm2″,”xmm3″,”xmm4″,”xmm5″,”xmm6″,”xmm7″,”xmm8″,”xmm9″,”xmm10″,”xmm11″,”xmm12″,”xmm13″,”xmm14″,”xmm15″,”mxcsr”,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,””,”orig_rax”,”al”,”bl”,”cl”,”dl”,”sil”,”dil”,”bpl”,”spl”,”r8l”,”r9l”,”r10l”,”r11l”,”r12l”,”r13l”,”r14l”,”r15l”,”ah”,”bh”,”ch”,”dh”,”ax”,”bx”,”cx”,”dx”,”si”,”di”,”bp”,””,”r8w”,”r9w”,”r10w”,”r11w”,”r12w”,”r13w”,”r14w”,”r15w”,”eax”,”ebx”,”ecx”,”edx”,”esi”,”edi”,”ebp”,”esp”,”r8d”,”r9d”,”r10d”,”r11d”,”r12d”,”r13d”,”r14d”,”r15d”]
-gdb-set disassembly-flavor intel
OK
-gdb-set print demangle off
OK
-gdb-version
GNU gdb (GDB) 7.7
Copyright (C) 2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <[snip]>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. Type “show copying”
and “show warranty” for details.
This GDB was configured as “–host=i686-pc-mingw32 –target=x86_64-linux-gnu”.
Type “show configuration” for configuration details.
For bug reporting instructions, please see:
<[snip]>.
Find the GDB manual and other documentation resources online at:
<[snip]>.
For help, type “help”.
Type “apropos word” to search for commands related to “word”.
OK
info target
&”info targetn”
Symbols from “c:KernelCache3.5.0-21-generic_0.kernelvmlinux-3.5.0-21-generic”.
Local exec file:
`c:KernelCache3.5.0-21-generic_0.kernelvmlinux-3.5.0-21-generic’, file type elf64-x86-64.
&”warning: Cannot find section for the entry point of c:\KernelCache\3.5.0-21-generic_0.kernel\vmlinux-3.5.0-21-generic.n”
Entry point: 0x1000000
0xffffffff81000000 – 0xffffffff8168f9c2 is .text
0xffffffff8168f9c4 – 0xffffffff8168fb40 is .notes
0xffffffff8168fb40 – 0xffffffff81691bb8 is __ex_table
0xffffffff81800000 – 0xffffffff81a9236e is .rodata
0xffffffff81a92370 – 0xffffffff81a99f3c is __bug_table
0xffffffff81a99f40 – 0xffffffff81a9c8e0 is .pci_fixup
0xffffffff81a9c8e0 – 0xffffffff81a9ca00 is .builtin_fw
0xffffffff81a9ca00 – 0xffffffff81a9cb10 is .rio_ops
0xffffffff81a9cb10 – 0xffffffff81a9cb4c is .tracedata
0xffffffff81a9cb50 – 0xffffffff81aac100 is __ksymtab
0xffffffff81aac100 – 0xffffffff81ab6a20 is __ksymtab_gpl
0xffffffff81ab6a20 – 0xffffffff81abe4f8 is __kcrctab
0xffffffff81abe4f8 – 0xffffffff81ac3988 is __kcrctab_gpl
0xffffffff81ac3988 – 0xffffffff81ae1841 is __ksymtab_strings
0xffffffff81ae1860 – 0xffffffff81ae5e50 is __init_rodata
0xffffffff81ae5e50 – 0xffffffff81ae7850 is __param
0xffffffff81ae7850 – 0xffffffff81ae8000 is __modver
0xffffffff81c00000 – 0xffffffff81cdcb00 is .data
0xffffffff81cdd000 – 0xffffffff81cdd0e8 is .vvar
0x0000000000000000 – 0x0000000000014680 is .data..percpu
0xffffffff81cf3000 – 0xffffffff81d3a892 is .init.text
0xffffffff81d3b000 – 0xffffffff81da9fa0 is .init.data
0xffffffff81da9fa0 – 0xffffffff81da9fb8 is .x86_cpu_dev.init
0xffffffff81da9fb8 – 0xffffffff81dc3194 is .parainstructions
0xffffffff81dc3198 – 0xffffffff81dc3ca8 is .altinstructions
0xffffffff81dc3ca8 – 0xffffffff81dc412a is .altinstr_replacement
0xffffffff81dc4130 – 0xffffffff81dc4248 is .iommu_table
0xffffffff81dc4248 – 0xffffffff81dc4270 is .apicdrivers
0xffffffff81dc4270 – 0xffffffff81dc622c is .exit.text
0xffffffff81dc7000 – 0xffffffff81dcd000 is .smp_locks
0xffffffff81dcd000 – 0xffffffff81dce000 is .data_nosave
0xffffffff81dce000 – 0xffffffff81f2f000 is .bss
0xffffffff81f2f000 – 0xffffffff82350000 is .brk
OK

I had to finish the assignment without debugging features, I’ll never have to use that platform again. I’m able to do all this just fine on a new version of Ubuntu so the issues are unimportant now.