# This is my first try at using chroot because I want to use skype.

debootstrap --arch i386 sid /var/chroot/sid-ia32 http://ftp.debian.org/debian/

# did mount bind some directories in fstab and mounted them
mount /var/chroot/sid-ia32/skole/tjener/home0
mount /var/chroot/sid-ia32/tmp
mount /var/chroot/sid-ia32/dev
mount /var/chroot/sid-ia32/proc

chroot /var/chroot/sid-ia32
apt-get install skype
apt-get install alsa-base
dpkg-reconfigure locales
exit

# Skype runs but the sound system does not work!

schroot -p skype
I: [sid32-dd92dbdc-1450-4262-b19d-d6d6a102c1c4 chroot] Running command: “skype”
ALSA lib confmisc.c:768parse_card) cannot find card '0'
ALSA lib conf.c:3513_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_card_driver returned error: No such file or directory


schroot -p cat /proc/asound/cards
I: [sid32-d47eefed-00a8-4222-9789-0677d17b93dc chroot] Running command: “cat /proc/asound/cards”
0 [CK804 ]: NFORCE - NVidia CK804
NVidia CK804 with ALC850 at 0xd5003000, irq 225
1 [UART ]: MPU-401 UART - MPU-401 UART
MPU-401 UART at 0x330, irq 10
2 [U0x46d0x990 ]: USB-Audio - USB Device 0x46d:0x990
USB Device 0x46d:0x990 at usb-0000:00:02.1-6, high speed

You're running a debian distribution. Is there some reason you can't just download the .deb from Skype's website and install it instead of all that chroot and mounting business?

As for the sound, go to System -> Preferences -> Sound and select different sound drivers. I use PulseAudio and I don't have any problems.

It is much easier than that. Just install ia32-libs and ia32-libs-gtk. Download the Skype for Debian (.deb) and install it with dpkg -i --force-architecture.

Using the 32-bit compatibility libs is generally considered better than a chroot environment.

jlinkels

Thank you for your replies.

A)
How do I ask apt-get (or aptitude) to install the 32bit version of package libxss1 into /usr/lib32 ?

Here is why I ask:
I followed your advise and did:
dpkg -i --force-architecture skype-debian_2.0.0.72-1_i386.deb

ia32-libs and ia32-libs-gtk are already installed through aptitude.

~# ldd /usr/bin/skype | grep not
libXss.so.1 => not found
libdbus-1.so.3 => not found

/usr/lib/libXss.so.1 and /usr/lib/libdbus-1.so.3 exist but are for 64 bit.
it expects /usr/lib32/libXss.so.1 and /usr/lib32/libdbus-1.so.3

apt-file search /usr/lib/libXss.so.1 points to package libxss1
But this is the 64 bit version!

B)
Just to answer why I tried with chroot: Firstly to get security updates automatically through aptitude, secondly to keep the 32 bit stuff separate.
Therefore I was surprised to read:

I am surprised. My Skype (version 1.4.0.118) doesn't need libXss at all, and the libdbus is installed in /usr/lib32, just as what you expect. libXss is not installed in /usr/lib32. I didn't do anything for that, just apt-get installed the ia-lib32. Could be something wrong with the package?

To my understanding using the 32-bits compatibility libs is preferred over chrooting. At least that is the idea what I get from reading the articles about installing 32 bits apps in 64 bits systems. Chrooting as such does have advantages, I am just not sure about advantages in this case.

jlinkels

Just download the amd64 deb from the Skype site and the deb installer will automatically install any dependencies. Please stop making this complicated.

To my knowledge only the 32 bit version is provided.

The version for etch on www.skype.com is skype-debian_2.0.0.72-1_i386.deb (I did not see an option to get previous packages)

One important difference is that version 2 allows video conferencing. This or some other new feature might be responsible for the dependency.

Ok I went back to chroot attempt because at least skype opens, and registers with the skype server.
It just does NOT find the soundcard!!

To factor out gui problems I installed mplayer in the chroot.

mplayer
-------
From within chroot mplayer works ok.

But from outside if started with
schroot -p mpalyer xy.mp3
it also cannot find the sound card!

Tell you something scary. I was reading your last post on a different machine as where I did the ldd on for the previous post. On this machine I have Skype 2.0 installed. Using the ia-32 libs. It worked. I have talked through it. In the mean time I went to several updates. When I started Skype today to check on the ldd, my screen went to purple/black. Never seen that before. All graphics were still there, but about 10% of the brightness they should have. As soon as I defocused Skype, everything was normal. Focusing again on Skype turned the screen dark.

When checking on the ldd, libXss is needed by Skype now, but it is installed in lib32.

Since breaking an already installed package Should Not Happen, I fear we are facing some kind of bug here which recently went from Sid to Lenny, and apparently is still in Sid.

jlinkels

jlinkels,
I cannot help with that GUI problem, in ia32-libs I see no GUI at all and in chroot approach GUI was always ok. But you made me aware that I have two releases mixed:
amd64 etch as base and sid in chroot. Now made a chroot with etch, to be sure.

I am now concentrating on the chroot way of running skype. Got one step further, added audio group to user who invokes schroot -p skype. Now it does not complain anymore about not finding the sound card. Actually no error messages at all - promising.

Sadly sound is still not working.
Skype test call says: Problem with Audio Playback
skype -> options -> sound devices:
Default device (default)

No other choice is available. Make test sound does nothing.
Tried in KDE to set sound system to OSS and then ALSA without success.

I have not much experience with running applications in a chrooted environment (I only do that when I have to install on solid state disks), but isn't it true that you have to make sound working in your chrooted environment? That is, shouldn't you install the sound drivers and sound system etc in that environment as well? You might want to test other applications first in the the chroot to see if those produce sound, e.g. mplayer or aplay. Aplay is probably better, it has much less features.

As for my GUI problem, I fear some packahe management problem. It is impossible that it once worked (and was still working after some reboots) and that all of sudden this happens, while packages other than Skype were upgraded. It really looks like a dependency issue which was not signalled properly. I did not yet try to debug this, maybe things change again when I download and install a new version of Skype.

jlinkels

It's in the Medibuntu repository. Can you seriously not google this? I'm using Hardy 64 and I run skype - works perfectly!

We can google. But if I read this thread, describing the installation of that Mediabuntu package, I wonder where the 32 bits compatibility libs are for?

Or is the 64-bits package a smart packaging and installatation of the 32-bits Skype? If not, how did the developers ever compile it in 64-bits mode? Was the source released by Skype or so? And why isn't it available on Skype's web site?

I am not sure how an executable can be checked for 32 or 64 bits mode, but there should be a way. I am looking forward to see what the Mediabuntu version is.

jlinkels

who cares??? Stop trying to make this complicated and install the deb!!!!

http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-linux-ubuntu-amd64