Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Bug#812557: pulseaudio: "refusing to start/autospawn" with multi-user setup

95 views
Skip to first unread message

Rodrigo Campos

unread,
Jan 24, 2016, 8:50:03 PM1/24/16
to
Package: pulseaudio
Version: 7.1-2
Severity: normal

Dear Maintainer,

I'be updated debian testing (didn't update in a while) and after I upgraded,
sound from programs that run as a different user stopped working.

When some other user tries to run: "/usr/bin/pulseaudio --start
--log-target=syslog" it fails with errors like:

Jan 24 22:01:58 lindsay pulseaudio[10238]: [pulseaudio] main.c: User-configured
server at {d07a5e247c911a2ac8ca6d8652d822c1}unix:/run/user/1000/pulse/native,
refusing to start/autospawn.
Jan 24 22:08:13 lindsay pulseaudio[11867]: [pulseaudio] main.c: User-configured
server at lindsay, refusing to start/autospawn.

Both users, the user that opened the desktop environment (let's call him userA)
and the other user trying to run pulseaudio/firefox (let's call him userB) are
member of group audio. Also, userA uid is 1000 and userB uid is 1001.

Usually, as autospawn is enabled, when running firefox as userB and sound
was needed, pulseaudio was started and audio just worked. Now everything works
fine, except audio doesn't play. Probably because it fails as above when trying
to start pulseaudio.

I've found the following work-around, though, to make this work again and this
is why I'm reporting it to pulseaudio.

If userA logins to the desktop env and opens a console and as userB (I'm doing
"su - userB") runs:

pax11publish -r; /usr/bin/pulseaudio --start --log-target=syslog

then audio works again.

To check if audio works, and to be sure is nothing related to firefox, I run as
userA in the desktop env:

sudo -u userB -- aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav

iAfter doing the "pax11publish ..." command above, this command works. Before it
does not. And, of course, this also fixes the audio in firefox.


Please let me know if I can help you in any way



Thanks a lot,
Rodrigo



-- Package-specific info:
File '/etc/default/pulseaudio' does not exist


-- System Information:
Debian Release: stretch/sid
APT prefers testing-proposed-updates
APT policy: (900, 'testing-proposed-updates'), (900, 'testing'), (500, 'proposed-updates'), (500, 'stable'), (400, 'unstable'), (200, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Foreign Architectures: i386

Kernel: Linux 4.3.0-1-amd64 (SMP w/4 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)

Versions of packages pulseaudio depends on:
ii adduser 3.113+nmu3
ii libasound2 1.0.29-1
ii libasound2-plugins 1.0.29-1
ii libc6 2.21-6
ii libcap2 1:2.24-12
ii libdbus-1-3 1.10.6-1
ii libfftw3-single3 3.3.4-2
ii libgcc1 1:5.3.1-5
ii libice6 2:1.0.9-1+b1
ii libltdl7 2.4.2-1.11
ii liborc-0.4-0 1:0.4.24-1
ii libpulse0 7.1-2
ii libsm6 2:1.2.2-1+b1
ii libsndfile1 1.0.25-10
ii libsoxr0 0.1.2-1
ii libspeexdsp1 1.2~rc1.2-1
ii libstdc++6 5.3.1-5
ii libsystemd0 228-4
ii libtdb1 1.3.8-1
ii libudev1 228-4
ii libwebrtc-audio-processing-0 0.1-3
ii libx11-6 2:1.6.3-1
ii libx11-xcb1 2:1.6.3-1
ii libxcb1 1.11.1-1
ii libxtst6 2:1.2.2-1+b1
ii lsb-base 9.20160110
ii pulseaudio-utils 7.1-2
ii udev 228-4

Versions of packages pulseaudio recommends:
pn pulseaudio-module-x11 <none>
pn rtkit <none>

Versions of packages pulseaudio suggests:
pn paman <none>
pn paprefs <none>
ii pavucontrol 3.0-3+b2
pn pavumeter <none>

Rodrigo Campos

unread,
Feb 1, 2016, 9:50:08 AM2/1/16
to
ping? :)

Felipe Sateler

unread,
Feb 1, 2016, 1:30:02 PM2/1/16
to


On 1 Feb 2016 09:42, "Rodrigo Campos" <rod...@sdfg.com.ar> wrote:
>
> ping? :)

Hi, sorry I am out of town so I have not taken a look. But using the same server for multiple users requires a small amount of setup. Please look up how to setup the pulseaudio cookie for the second user (on my phone now, so its difficult to look up).

Saludos

>
> _______________________________________________
> pkg-pulseaudio-devel mailing list
> pkg-pulsea...@lists.alioth.debian.org
> http://lists.alioth.debian.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pkg-pulseaudio-devel

Rodrigo Campos

unread,
Feb 1, 2016, 1:30:03 PM2/1/16
to
On Mon, Feb 01, 2016 at 03:18:14PM -0300, Felipe Sateler wrote:
> On 1 Feb 2016 09:42, "Rodrigo Campos" <rod...@sdfg.com.ar> wrote:
> >
> > ping? :)
>
> Hi, sorry I am out of town so I have not taken a look. But using the same

Oh, no problem. Let me know when you are back :-)

> server for multiple users requires a small amount of setup. Please look up
> how to setup the pulseaudio cookie for the second user (on my phone now, so
> its difficult to look up).

It have always worked in the past, and I found a workaround that it's in the
original report. The issue doesn't seem to be sharing the cookie, but using 2
pulse audio servers (one run by each user).

>
> Saludos

Saludos! :-)

Felipe Sateler

unread,
Feb 15, 2016, 11:10:03 AM2/15/16
to
Control: tags -1 moreinfo

On 24 January 2016 at 22:42, Rodrigo Campos <rod...@sdfg.com.ar> wrote:
>
> Package: pulseaudio
> Version: 7.1-2
> Severity: normal
>
> Dear Maintainer,
>
> I'be updated debian testing (didn't update in a while) and after I upgraded,
> sound from programs that run as a different user stopped working.
>
> When some other user tries to run: "/usr/bin/pulseaudio --start
> --log-target=syslog" it fails with errors like:
>
> Jan 24 22:01:58 lindsay pulseaudio[10238]: [pulseaudio] main.c: User-configured
> server at {d07a5e247c911a2ac8ca6d8652d822c1}unix:/run/user/1000/pulse/native,
> refusing to start/autospawn.
> Jan 24 22:08:13 lindsay pulseaudio[11867]: [pulseaudio] main.c: User-configured
> server at lindsay, refusing to start/autospawn.
>
> Both users, the user that opened the desktop environment (let's call him userA)
> and the other user trying to run pulseaudio/firefox (let's call him userB) are
> member of group audio. Also, userA uid is 1000 and userB uid is 1001.

How are you running firefox/pulseaudio as different users? Just sudo
-u userB firefox or some other way?

>
> Usually, as autospawn is enabled, when running firefox as userB and sound
> was needed, pulseaudio was started and audio just worked. Now everything works
> fine, except audio doesn't play. Probably because it fails as above when trying
> to start pulseaudio.
>
> I've found the following work-around, though, to make this work again and this
> is why I'm reporting it to pulseaudio.
>
> If userA logins to the desktop env and opens a console and as userB (I'm doing
> "su - userB") runs:
>
> pax11publish -r; /usr/bin/pulseaudio --start --log-target=syslog
>
> then audio works again.

OK, this is the x11 publish module.

>
> To check if audio works, and to be sure is nothing related to firefox, I run as
> userA in the desktop env:
>
> sudo -u userB -- aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav
>
> iAfter doing the "pax11publish ..." command above, this command works. Before it
> does not. And, of course, this also fixes the audio in firefox.

You can work around this by disabling the x11 publish module, via
disabling the autostart of start-pulseaudio-x11 (by removing/moving
away the /etc/xdg/autostart/pulseaudio.desktop file).



--

Saludos,
Felipe Sateler

Rodrigo Campos

unread,
Feb 15, 2016, 11:30:05 AM2/15/16
to
On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 12:58:58PM -0300, Felipe Sateler wrote:
> Control: tags -1 moreinfo
>
> On 24 January 2016 at 22:42, Rodrigo Campos <rod...@sdfg.com.ar> wrote:
> >
> > Package: pulseaudio
> > Version: 7.1-2
> > Severity: normal
> >
> > Dear Maintainer,
> >
> > I'be updated debian testing (didn't update in a while) and after I upgraded,
> > sound from programs that run as a different user stopped working.
> >
> > When some other user tries to run: "/usr/bin/pulseaudio --start
> > --log-target=syslog" it fails with errors like:
> >
> > Jan 24 22:01:58 lindsay pulseaudio[10238]: [pulseaudio] main.c: User-configured
> > server at {d07a5e247c911a2ac8ca6d8652d822c1}unix:/run/user/1000/pulse/native,
> > refusing to start/autospawn.
> > Jan 24 22:08:13 lindsay pulseaudio[11867]: [pulseaudio] main.c: User-configured
> > server at lindsay, refusing to start/autospawn.
> >
> > Both users, the user that opened the desktop environment (let's call him userA)
> > and the other user trying to run pulseaudio/firefox (let's call him userB) are
> > member of group audio. Also, userA uid is 1000 and userB uid is 1001.
>
> How are you running firefox/pulseaudio as different users? Just sudo
> -u userB firefox or some other way?

Yes, just that. And also run: "xhost +SI:localuser:userB" before.

> > Usually, as autospawn is enabled, when running firefox as userB and sound
> > was needed, pulseaudio was started and audio just worked. Now everything works
> > fine, except audio doesn't play. Probably because it fails as above when trying
> > to start pulseaudio.
> >
> > I've found the following work-around, though, to make this work again and this
> > is why I'm reporting it to pulseaudio.
> >
> > If userA logins to the desktop env and opens a console and as userB (I'm doing
> > "su - userB") runs:
> >
> > pax11publish -r; /usr/bin/pulseaudio --start --log-target=syslog
> >
> > then audio works again.
>
> OK, this is the x11 publish module.
>
> >
> > To check if audio works, and to be sure is nothing related to firefox, I run as
> > userA in the desktop env:
> >
> > sudo -u userB -- aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav
> >
> > iAfter doing the "pax11publish ..." command above, this command works. Before it
> > does not. And, of course, this also fixes the audio in firefox.
>
> You can work around this by disabling the x11 publish module, via
> disabling the autostart of start-pulseaudio-x11 (by removing/moving
> away the /etc/xdg/autostart/pulseaudio.desktop file).

Ohh, I can confirm that this workaround works.


Let me know if you need more info or I can help you with testing the fix





Thanks a lot,
Rodrigo

Felipe Sateler

unread,
Feb 15, 2016, 2:00:05 PM2/15/16
to
On 15 February 2016 at 13:23, Rodrigo Campos <rod...@sdfg.com.ar> wrote:
> On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 12:58:58PM -0300, Felipe Sateler wrote:
>> Control: tags -1 moreinfo
>>
>> On 24 January 2016 at 22:42, Rodrigo Campos <rod...@sdfg.com.ar> wrote:
>> >
>> > Package: pulseaudio
>> > Version: 7.1-2
>> > Severity: normal
>> >
>> > Dear Maintainer,
>> >
>> > I'be updated debian testing (didn't update in a while) and after I upgraded,
>> > sound from programs that run as a different user stopped working.
>> >
>> > When some other user tries to run: "/usr/bin/pulseaudio --start
>> > --log-target=syslog" it fails with errors like:
>> >
>> > Jan 24 22:01:58 lindsay pulseaudio[10238]: [pulseaudio] main.c: User-configured
>> > server at {d07a5e247c911a2ac8ca6d8652d822c1}unix:/run/user/1000/pulse/native,
>> > refusing to start/autospawn.
>> > Jan 24 22:08:13 lindsay pulseaudio[11867]: [pulseaudio] main.c: User-configured
>> > server at lindsay, refusing to start/autospawn.
>> >
>> > Both users, the user that opened the desktop environment (let's call him userA)
>> > and the other user trying to run pulseaudio/firefox (let's call him userB) are
>> > member of group audio. Also, userA uid is 1000 and userB uid is 1001.
>>
>> How are you running firefox/pulseaudio as different users? Just sudo
>> -u userB firefox or some other way?
>
> Yes, just that. And also run: "xhost +SI:localuser:userB" before.

OK

>
>> > Usually, as autospawn is enabled, when running firefox as userB and sound
>> > was needed, pulseaudio was started and audio just worked. Now everything works
>> > fine, except audio doesn't play. Probably because it fails as above when trying
>> > to start pulseaudio.
>> >
>> > I've found the following work-around, though, to make this work again and this
>> > is why I'm reporting it to pulseaudio.
>> >
>> > If userA logins to the desktop env and opens a console and as userB (I'm doing
>> > "su - userB") runs:
>> >
>> > pax11publish -r; /usr/bin/pulseaudio --start --log-target=syslog
>> >
>> > then audio works again.
>>
>> OK, this is the x11 publish module.
>>
>> >
>> > To check if audio works, and to be sure is nothing related to firefox, I run as
>> > userA in the desktop env:
>> >
>> > sudo -u userB -- aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav
>> >
>> > iAfter doing the "pax11publish ..." command above, this command works. Before it
>> > does not. And, of course, this also fixes the audio in firefox.
>>
>> You can work around this by disabling the x11 publish module, via
>> disabling the autostart of start-pulseaudio-x11 (by removing/moving
>> away the /etc/xdg/autostart/pulseaudio.desktop file).
>
> Ohh, I can confirm that this workaround works.
>
>
> Let me know if you need more info or I can help you with testing the fix

I don't think there is anything we can do on the debian side. Maybe
you can raise the issue upstream and see whether they come up with a
way to support your use case? I don't think I want to deviate from
upstream in this respect.

--

Saludos,
Felipe Sateler

Rodrigo Campos

unread,
Feb 15, 2016, 2:20:03 PM2/15/16
to
Now with 812...@bugs.debian.org on "Cc:"

On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 07:11:04PM +0000, Rodrigo Campos wrote:
> I was not asking to deviate from upstream, just fix the bug. Would you forward
> it upstream, then?
>
>
>
>
>
> Thanks a lot,
> Rodrigo

Felipe Sateler

unread,
Feb 15, 2016, 5:20:03 PM2/15/16
to
Well, the behavior comes from upstream, so if we change something we
would be deviating. Moreover, I'm not sure what you are experiencing
is actually a bug, or it is simply an unsupported configuration (due
to better behaved alternatives existing). Pulseaudio is correctly
discovering an existing server, and so it refuses to start. Whether
the old behavior was OK or not, is only a call upstream can make.

>> Would you forward
>> it upstream, then?

No, sorry. When feedback will be requested by upstream then I won't be
able to provide it. The only way, then, is for you to file the bug to
the upstream bugzilla:

http://bugs.freedesktop.org


--

Saludos,
Felipe Sateler

Rodrigo Campos

unread,
Feb 15, 2016, 5:50:03 PM2/15/16
to
It seems sysmted uses github for issues, at least the link is to github here:
https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/. Am I missing something? I
didn't find it in http://bugs.freedesktop.org

So, if it is relevant for someone else, here is the issue I created upstream:
https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues/2629




Thanks a lot,
Rodrigo

Rodrigo Campos

unread,
Feb 15, 2016, 6:00:04 PM2/15/16
to
On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 07:46:22PM -0300, Felipe Sateler wrote:
> On 15 February 2016 at 19:41, Rodrigo Campos <rod...@sdfg.com.ar> wrote:
> > On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 07:09:11PM -0300, Felipe Sateler wrote:
> >> On 15 February 2016 at 16:11, Rodrigo Campos <rod...@sdfg.com.ar> wrote:
> >>
> >> >> Would you forward
> >> >> it upstream, then?
> >>
> >> No, sorry. When feedback will be requested by upstream then I won't be
> >> able to provide it. The only way, then, is for you to file the bug to
> >> the upstream bugzilla:
> >>
> >> http://bugs.freedesktop.org
> >
> > It seems sysmted uses github for issues, at least the link is to github here:
> > https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/. Am I missing something? I
> > didn't find it in http://bugs.freedesktop.org
>
> Right, but this bug is against pulseaudio, not systemd ;)

Oh, fuck! I should take a rest. Thanks for pointing it out.

So, here is the bug for pulseaudio:
https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=94167 =)





Thanks,
Rodrigo

Felipe Sateler

unread,
Feb 15, 2016, 6:00:04 PM2/15/16
to
On 15 February 2016 at 19:41, Rodrigo Campos <rod...@sdfg.com.ar> wrote:
> On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 07:09:11PM -0300, Felipe Sateler wrote:
>> On 15 February 2016 at 16:11, Rodrigo Campos <rod...@sdfg.com.ar> wrote:
>>
>> >> Would you forward
>> >> it upstream, then?
>>
>> No, sorry. When feedback will be requested by upstream then I won't be
>> able to provide it. The only way, then, is for you to file the bug to
>> the upstream bugzilla:
>>
>> http://bugs.freedesktop.org
>
> It seems sysmted uses github for issues, at least the link is to github here:
> https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/. Am I missing something? I
> didn't find it in http://bugs.freedesktop.org

Right, but this bug is against pulseaudio, not systemd ;)


--

Saludos,
Felipe Sateler

Felipe Sateler

unread,
Feb 15, 2016, 6:00:04 PM2/15/16
to
Control: tags -1 - moreinfo
Control: forwarded -1 https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=94167
Thanks. Marking as forwarded accordingly.


--

Saludos,
Felipe Sateler

Rodrigo Campos

unread,
Feb 16, 2016, 4:20:03 PM2/16/16
to
On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 07:54:17PM -0300, Felipe Sateler wrote:
> Control: tags -1 - moreinfo
> Control: forwarded -1 https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=94167
>
> Thanks. Marking as forwarded accordingly.

Closed upstream, not sure if you want to close it here too :)
0 new messages