Arch Linux

terracotta_shore

Member

Registered: 2007-05-06

Posts: 3

System sounds cause gnome to freeze on startup

So far I've found six threads describing this problem, but all remain unresolved. So please excuse my starting yet another thread but I thought it would be the best way to bump them all.

Situation - new to Archlinux but not to Linux. I managed a network install of the base system and then added xorg, gnome and a few bits and pieces and got it all going, more or less. The problem is that sometimes when gnome starts up after the login screen, it freezes after loading the top and bottom panels. Usually the Applications/Places/System menus are visible, and sometimes the workspace switcher on the bottom panel, but no other panel app icons, nor desktop icons. There is a mouse pointer visible which I can move around but left and right clicking do nothing. Usually I can get into a virtual terminal with ctrl-alt-F1, but sometimes I get no response from the keyboard at all and I have to push the computer reset button to reboot. The following threads seem to describe the same problem:

This one. The OP suggests deleting ~/.gnome2/session but there ain't no such file/directory on my system.
That one.
Yonder one.
Another one!
Oh no! Yet another one.
The plot thickens. A clue.

I can confirm the OP's finding in the last thread. Enabling system sounds causes the problem. Deleting the ~/.gconf/desktop/gnome/sound directory (not, ~/.gconf/gnome/sound) means that gnome starts up OK, but disconcertingly quietly.

So - any solutions? Any way to get gnome and all the bells, whistles, cheeps and chirrups?

Oh - and I'm enjoying Arch. I'm posting from a (silent) Arch desktop now. I needed a challenge after Gentoo.

Last edited by terracotta_shore (2007-05-06 20:06:42)

terracotta_shore

Member

Registered: 2007-05-06

Posts: 3

Re: System sounds cause gnome to freeze on startup

Since posting I searched the Archlinux bug reports and found this. I've tried the various suggestions but no joy. Strangely, I didn't have alsa and esd in daemons in /etc/rc.conf, (I do now) but despite this alsa was working OK and I was getting the esd/gnome startup problem.

It seems this bug is still unresolved. Curious that it's not worrying many people. Do the majority of Arch/gnome users prefer system sounds switched off? I agree that the gnome login sound is pretty ugly, but I find the rest useful.

mrunion

Member

From: Jonesborough, TN

Registered: 2007-01-26

Posts: 1,938

Website

Re: System sounds cause gnome to freeze on startup

No, I like sound.  It plays in everything else -- MP3s, DVDs, etc.  But noo SYSTEM sounds.  The problem seemd to lie in using ESD/dmix/something.  It's still unresolved as for me and my HP laptop.  If you have HARDWARE mixing, the sounds work fine.

I am willing to live without system sounds to stay in Arch Linux, but it does get frustrating at times.

---

Matt

"It is very difficult to educate the educated."

Jungian

Member

Registered: 2007-04-01

Posts: 10

Re: System sounds cause gnome to freeze on startup

I'll load up my machine with Gnome 2.18 and check out if it stays stable after disabling system sounds (system sounds aren't a must have for me). My Frugalware adventure (mentioned in your first link) didn't last very long, and I have been using Arch Linux + Xfce ever since.

[edit]
Disabling ESD indeed kills the Gnome instability I've been having

Last edited by Jungian (2007-05-07 19:58:31)

terracotta_shore

Member

Registered: 2007-05-06

Posts: 3

Re: System sounds cause gnome to freeze on startup

Thanks for your comments.

I updated today which included esd-0.2.38-1, the new kernel, and other bits, but I still get a lockup if I disable system sounds. But one useful thing (for me). I installed KDE over the weekend - and it plays its sounds OK. Before that if I had a gnome freeze I had to go into a virtual terminal, take out the ~/.gconf/desktop/gnome/sound directory and reboot. But now, when gnome froze, I ctl-alt-backspace'd, and then logged into KDE which played me a merry tune just to keep my spirits up. I was then able to delete the sound directory, log out and then log back into a now thawed out, albeit silent, gnome.

Avoids a reboot - which is good.

By the way. Now I've got two wastebin icons (one labelled Trash, the other Wastebin) on my gnome desktop courtesy of KDE. I know why, and I've come across this irritation before, but is there any way of getting rid of the extra desktop icon in gnome without losing the KDE one? I've never figured this one out.

coolpyrofreak

Member

From: Las Vegas

Registered: 2006-03-13

Posts: 53

Re: System sounds cause gnome to freeze on startup

Completely unrelated, if you delete your ./Desktop folder, log out of KDE, and log back in, you'll be left with only one trash icon.  Of course, all of your other desktop files will be missing too.

I have a similar problem, though.  On either KDE or Gnome, my sound just wants to skip, like a broken record.  I have no idea what to do anymore.  I can't live without my sound ::cries::