The VideoLAN Forums

System: Thinkpad T21 with fresh install of Kubuntu 9.10 and all updates; uses ALSA Mixer & Pulse Audio

Problem: VLC tries to load, but then gives up (regardless of file type or method of opening...)

Symptom: On open, the icon appears in the task bar, but then goes away...

Clues: Sound works fine in Firefox on Youtube, etc; Amarok will open files & streams, but emits only deafening silence.

Packages: vlc - 1.0.2-1ubuntu2.1(i386) and associated lib's; installed from KPackageKit. (I currently have the regular
and "nox" installed concurrently, out of desperation...

I have checked for the troublesome Debian Universe files, but no luck there (just for fun I did the procedure anyway....no joy)

Also, I have NO CLUE what the "Install vlc-plugin-arts instead of vlc-plugin-esd" (for Kubuntu Users) means....
apt-get install vlc-plugin-arts means nothing to it's poor little brain...

Caveat: do NOT think for a moment that I know what I am doing. I just keep stabbing buttons until something intresting happens....
feel free to be explicit in any destructions for assistance...

Thanks!

open a terminal and lauch "vlc -vvv" and read the messages. You can also paste them here.

Ah! Your suggestion has revealed to me a world of hurt hitherto unknown....

Little did I know I have stepped squarely onto a philosophical stumbling block.

Yes, I run as root. (And I like it that way.)

(I tried running VLC as an unprivileged user, which did open, but kept getting buffer overrun errors....)

so now I am off to modify ./config and then off to complile!

tra-la-la-la!

PS: a dialog in the GUI pointing out that VLC does not run in root, would be marvelous!

Best Regards!

zorawer@zorawer-laptop:~$ vlc -vvv
VLC media player 1.0.2 Goldeneye
[0x99853e8] main libvlc debug: VLC media player - version 1.0.2 Goldeneye - (c) 1996-2009 the VideoLAN team
[0x99853e8] main libvlc debug: libvlc was configured with ./configure '--build=i486-linux-gnu' '--disable-maintainer-mode' '--enable-release' '--prefix=/usr' '--config-cache' '--enable-fast-install' '--with-binary-version=1ubuntu2.1' '--disable-update-check' '--disable-fb' '--enable-ggi' '--enable-sdl' '--enable-mad' '--enable-jack' '--enable-pulse' '--enable-lirc' '--enable-a52' '--enable-aa' '--enable-dvbpsi' '--enable-mozilla' '--with-mozilla-pkg=xulrunner-plugin' '--enable-dvb' '--enable-ogg' '--enable-vorbis' '--enable-shout' '--enable-qt4' '--enable-flac' '--enable-skins2' '--enable-freetype' '--enable-mkv' '--enable-speex' '--enable-caca' '--enable-live555' '--enable-libmpeg2' '--enable-fribidi' '--enable-mod' '--enable-theora' '--enable-dvdnav' '--enable-gnutls' '--enable-ncurses' '--enable-smb' '--disable-gnomevfs' '--enable-bonjour' '--enable-mpc' '--enable-vcd' '--enable-vcdx' '--enable-notify' '--enable-twolame' '--enable-faad' '--disable-zvbi' '--enable-telx' '--enable-x264' '--disable-atmo' '--enable-taglib' '--enable-libass' '--enable-dca' '--enable-realrtsp' '--disable-dv' '--disable-fluidsynth' '--disable-kate' '--disable-mtp' '--enable-alsa' '--enable-v4l' '--enable-v4l2' '--enable-pvr' '--enable-svgalib' 'build_alias=i486-linux-gnu' 'CFLAGS=-g -O2' 'LDFLAGS=-Wl,--as-needed' 'CPPFLAGS=' 'CXXFLAGS=-g -O2'
[0x99853e8] main libvlc debug: translation test: code is "C"
[0x99853e8] main libvlc debug: checking plugin modules
[0x99853e8] main libvlc debug: loading plugins cache file /home/zorawer/.cache/vlc/plugins-04041e.dat
[0x99853e8] main libvlc warning: could not open plugins cache file /home/zorawer/.cache/vlc/plugins-04041e.dat for reading
[0x99853e8] main libvlc debug: recursively browsing `/usr/lib/vlc'
Segmentation fault
zorawer@zorawer-laptop:~$

That looks like a corrupt install. We cannot help you.