Discussion:
Bug#812557: pulseaudio: "refusing to start/autospawn" with multi-user setup
(too old to reply)
Rodrigo Campos
2016-01-25 01:50:03 UTC
Permalink
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
2016-02-01 14:50:07 UTC
Permalink
ping? :)
Felipe Sateler
2016-02-01 18:30:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Rodrigo Campos
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
Post by Rodrigo Campos
_______________________________________________
pkg-pulseaudio-devel mailing list
http://lists.alioth.debian.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/pkg-pulseaudio-devel
Rodrigo Campos
2016-02-01 18:30:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Felipe Sateler
Post by Rodrigo Campos
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 :-)
Post by Felipe Sateler
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).
Post by Felipe Sateler
Saludos
Saludos! :-)
Felipe Sateler
2016-02-15 16:10:02 UTC
Permalink
Control: tags -1 moreinfo
Post by Rodrigo Campos
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
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?
Post by Rodrigo Campos
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
pax11publish -r; /usr/bin/pulseaudio --start --log-target=syslog
then audio works again.
OK, this is the x11 publish module.
Post by Rodrigo Campos
To check if audio works, and to be sure is nothing related to firefox, I run as
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
2016-02-15 16:30:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by Felipe Sateler
Control: tags -1 moreinfo
Post by Rodrigo Campos
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
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.
Post by Felipe Sateler
Post by Rodrigo Campos
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
pax11publish -r; /usr/bin/pulseaudio --start --log-target=syslog
then audio works again.
OK, this is the x11 publish module.
Post by Rodrigo Campos
To check if audio works, and to be sure is nothing related to firefox, I run as
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
2016-02-15 19:00:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by Rodrigo Campos
Post by Felipe Sateler
Control: tags -1 moreinfo
Post by Rodrigo Campos
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
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
Post by Rodrigo Campos
Post by Felipe Sateler
Post by Rodrigo Campos
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
pax11publish -r; /usr/bin/pulseaudio --start --log-target=syslog
then audio works again.
OK, this is the x11 publish module.
Post by Rodrigo Campos
To check if audio works, and to be sure is nothing related to firefox, I run as
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
2016-02-15 19:20:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Felipe Sateler
Post by Rodrigo Campos
Post by Felipe Sateler
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.
I was not asking to deviate from upstream, just fix the bug. Would you forward
it upstream, then?
Thanks a lot,
Rodrigo
Felipe Sateler
2016-02-15 22:20:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Felipe Sateler
Post by Rodrigo Campos
Post by Felipe Sateler
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.
I was not asking to deviate from upstream, just fix the bug.
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
2016-02-15 22:50:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Felipe Sateler
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
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

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
Felipe Sateler
2016-02-15 23:00:02 UTC
Permalink
Control: tags -1 - moreinfo
Control: forwarded -1 https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=94167
Post by Rodrigo Campos
Post by Felipe Sateler
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
http://bugs.freedesktop.org
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.
https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=94167 =)
Thanks. Marking as forwarded accordingly.
--
Saludos,
Felipe Sateler
Rodrigo Campos
2016-02-16 21:20:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Felipe Sateler
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 :)

Felipe Sateler
2016-02-15 23:00:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Rodrigo Campos
Post by Felipe Sateler
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
http://bugs.freedesktop.org
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
Rodrigo Campos
2016-02-15 23:00:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by Rodrigo Campos
Post by Felipe Sateler
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
http://bugs.freedesktop.org
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
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