Hi,

I have fedora 26 with xfce installed, but unsolvable graphics tearing issues forced me to move on. (note: I was able to set everything, so that in fedora 22 video is OK in xfce, but in 26 it's unsolvable for me). So I started to search for desktop env, which meets requirements for effective work and UI usability, and found, that cinnamon is quite similar to xfce AND no graphics issues right after installing, no need to tuning. Great!

Sadly, while pulse audio works great in xfce, once log into cinnamon desktop, pulse audio crashes, and attempts to run pulseaudio -k prints:"Failed to kill daemon: No such process" (therefore cannot be killed and restarted).

trying to start it:
pulseaudio --start --log-target=syslog; echo $?
1


both desktop envs are on same machine. Is there anything I can do to figure out why pulse audio is crashing?


excerpt from /var/log/messages (yes, my soundcard has more channels. But xfce can handle that. Why not cinnamon!??)

Feb 21 23:31:00 vbDesktop pulseaudio[5414]: [pulseaudio] module-udev-detect.c: inotify_init1() failed: Function not implemented
Feb 21 23:31:00 vbDesktop pulseaudio[5414]: [pulseaudio] module.c: Failed to load module "module-udev-detect" (argument: ""): initialization failed.
Feb 21 23:31:00 vbDesktop pulseaudio[5414]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Module load failed.
Feb 21 23:31:00 vbDesktop pulseaudio[5414]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Failed to initialize daemon.
Feb 21 23:31:00 vbDesktop pulseaudio[5411]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Daemon startup failed.
Feb 21 23:31:01 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 5465 of process 5465 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' high priority at nice level -11.
Feb 21 23:31:01 vbDesktop pulseaudio[5465]: [pulseaudio] module-udev-detect.c: inotify_init1() failed: Function not implemented
Feb 21 23:31:01 vbDesktop pulseaudio[5465]: [pulseaudio] module.c: Failed to load module "module-udev-detect" (argument: ""): initialization failed.
Feb 21 23:31:01 vbDesktop pulseaudio[5465]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Module load failed.
Feb 21 23:31:01 vbDesktop pulseaudio[5465]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Failed to initialize daemon.
Feb 21 23:31:01 vbDesktop pulseaudio[5462]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Daemon startup failed.
Feb 21 23:31:36 vbDesktop dbus-daemon[843]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.bluez' unit='dbus-org.bluez.service' requested by ':1.219' (uid=22823 pid=5498 comm="/opt/googl
e/chrome/chrome --password-store=basic " label="unconfined_u:unconfined_r:unconfined_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023")
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6240 of process 6240 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' high priority at nice level -11.
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6248 of process 6240 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6251 of process 6240 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6240]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6240]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6240]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6240]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6254 of process 6240 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6257 of process 6240 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6240]: [pulseaudio] socket-server.c: bind(): Address already in use
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6240]: [pulseaudio] module.c: Failed to load module "module-esound-protocol-unix" (argument: ""): initialization failed.
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6240]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Module load failed.
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6240]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Failed to initialize daemon.
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6237]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Daemon startup failed.
Feb 21 23:31:43 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6264 of process 6264 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' high priority at nice level -11.
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6298 of process 6264 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6303 of process 6264 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6264]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6264]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6264]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6264]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6306 of process 6264 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6309 of process 6264 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6264]: [pulseaudio] socket-server.c: bind(): Address already in use
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6264]: [pulseaudio] module.c: Failed to load module "module-esound-protocol-unix" (argument: ""): initialization failed.
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6264]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Module load failed.
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6264]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Failed to initialize daemon.
Feb 21 23:31:45 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6261]: [pulseaudio] main.c: Daemon startup failed.
Feb 21 23:32:01 vbDesktop dbus-daemon[843]: [system] Failed to activate service 'org.bluez': timed out (service_start_timeout=25000ms)
Feb 21 23:32:17 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6422 of process 6422 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' high priority at nice level -11.
Feb 21 23:32:19 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6431 of process 6422 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.
Feb 21 23:32:19 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6434 of process 6422 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.
Feb 21 23:32:19 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6422]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:32:19 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6422]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:32:19 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6422]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:32:19 vbDesktop pulseaudio[6422]: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Volume element PCM has 9 channels. That's too much! I can't handle that!
Feb 21 23:32:19 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6437 of process 6422 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.
Feb 21 23:32:19 vbDesktop rtkit-daemon[847]: Successfully made thread 6440 of process 6422 (/usr/bin/pulseaudio) owned by '22823' RT at priority 5.

you might have to curtail it using a conf in your home.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php...Audio/Examples
is some good helps and
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=154002
might help.
set your conf to your specific "card/chip" and give it specific settings to use on it. It is going to require some of your own searching your system to find what you have and where it is being stored at etc...

I don't know, I'm a simple linux user. I read all referenced info and I don't see any light. This stuff is way too overcomplicated. I tried to specify default channels, and sampling rate, but that did not help and I'm actually terrified to touch anything not to have to reinstall whole OS. I simply cannot find any information what should I set and how.

Interesting thing is, that when I start cinnamon, alsa/pulse/no-idea crashes and cannot be started. When I log back to xfce, it's running.

Do anyone has any idea, what is actually causing the error and what should be fixed?



My default output is:

* index: 1
name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_04_00.0.analog-stereo>
driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
flags: HARDWARE DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
state: SUSPENDED
suspend cause: IDLE
priority: 9039
volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB, front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
balance 0.00
base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
volume steps: 65537
muted: no
current latency: 0.00 ms
max request: 0 KiB
max rewind: 0 KiB
monitor source: 2
sample spec: s16le 2ch 48000Hz
channel map: front-left,front-right
Stereo
used by: 0
linked by: 0
configured latency: 0.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 682.67 ms
card: 1 <alsa_card.pci-0000_04_00.0>
module: 7
properties:
alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
device.api = "alsa"
device.class = "sound"
alsa.class = "generic"
alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
alsa.name = "Gina3G"
alsa.id = "Analog PCM"
alsa.subdevice = "0"
alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
alsa.device = "0"
alsa.card = "0"
alsa.card_name = "Gina3G"
alsa.long_card_name = "Gina3G rev.0 (DSP56361) at 0xf7d00000 irq 17"
alsa.driver_name = "snd_echo3g"
device.bus_path = "pci-0000:04:00.0"
sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.5/0000:03:00.0/0000:04:00.0/sound/card0"
device.bus = "pci"
device.vendor.id = "1057"
device.vendor.name = "Motorola"
device.product.id = "3410"
device.product.name = "DSP56361 Digital Signal Processor (3G)"
device.string = "front:0"
device.buffering.buffer_size = "131072"
device.buffering.fragment_size = "65536"
device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
device.profile.description = "Analog Stereo"
device.description = "DSP56361 Digital Signal Processor (3G) Analog Stereo"
module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
ports:
analog-output: Analog Output (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
properties:

active port: <analog-output>

I can only tell you my gentoo experience. As it's the distro of my choice and the one which I use for a very long time.

Usually you do not start pulseaudio as any user. The system handles it itself. gentoo throws a warning that pulseaudio should not be started as user.

Also usually you do not setup any alsa / pulseaudio / audio config files. These are handled by the system itself. Before gnome 2.0 days there was maybe a need to setup any alsa / pulseaudio / jack-audio-connection / OSS stuff.

Also bear in mind, especially when you have hda_intel based sound-card, that some linux kernels are buggy like hell. I'm back to kernel 4.9.85 as any other kernel is bugged like hell. Something was always broken for myself, and I also made many bug reports on kernel.org.

--

Also note every desktop environment cooks it's own soup. Means different config files and such.

Because I was kinda unhappy with any other desktop environment after gnome 2.X, I ended up with i3wm and a self written script which handles basically anything.

In my point of view, those desktop environments barely handles the tasks. There is always something broken with a new update. Regardless if it was gnome 2.x, early gnome 3.x, xfce, razerqt desktop, kde 3.x, ... Also forums.gentoo.org was full with systemd + gnome / kde issues.

30 lines in i3.config is much better than dealing with new breakages with any of those fancy desctop environments.

I also want to hint out, that you can setup your own setup for the X server. linux is quite flexible in this regard.

--

quote: I have fedora 26 with xfce installed, but unsolvable graphics tearing issues forced me to move on. (note: I was able to set everything, so that in fedora 22 video is OK in xfce, but in 26 it's unsolvable for me).

I suggest you look into the gpu setup first.

--

a common mistake is some lint in your home directory.

You should create a new user with a fresh home directory and check if you have those issues too.
in the last year i noted that there were some new locations for different config files, and a lot of lint is kept behind these days in the home directory. and everything is hidden in .local and other trash folders, with contents which are not really needed, but cashed once, and never deleted.

Thanks all for help. I managed to 'find' a 'solution'. It turned out, that I do not have anything wrong, but for testing purposes I had my previous primary desktop env, which was xfce and everything work there. Then I installed cinnamon and everything work there as well after fresh boot. But if I log into xfce, then log out and log into cinnamon, there won't be sound. So solution is easy here: a) do not do that and stick to single env b) actually fix this issue.

As I don't have knowledge to debug and fix what is going on, I'll just stick to cinnamon only and that should do the trick.

thanks for help.

i don't think you should be using fedora then, which is a bleeding edge distro.
wouldn't you prefer to use a stable distro instead?

as ex-redhatter I have most experience with redhat products, thus this is OS of my choice. While I might be confident somewhere, elsewhere I'm newbie.

Through all my years on several linux environments(gnome, kde, xfce, cinnamon, fvwm, lxde) and distributions (deb/rpm) I never witnessed linux distribution, where everything works without tweaking, stable or not. As I understand it, 'stable'(lets say rhel) is just synonym for missing functionality, which is card I cannot play.

shouldn't that be CentOS then?
you do what you want, just be aware what bleeding edge really means.

i do not agree.
i don't like it when things break constantly, or when essential stuff doesn't work.
I belive that both kernel and distro development has advanced so much that a stable distro is indeed stable, and Just Works.
Maybe you are sticking to a bleeding edge distro out of nostalgia for the earlier linux days, when stuff would break constantly?

well, as a developer, I need to be in touch with quite up-to-date packages. And based on my last visit I think that packages in CentOS etc. are quite outdated (from devels perspective). Actually for some things you cannot even use what's packaged in fedora and download things manually.

Nevermind, I don't believe this bug won't be present in stable version. Just like bugs in X11/xkb are present for tens of years. One just have to remember here, that cinnamon and xfce aren't friends, and one "destroys soundcard" for the other, whatever it means.