VLC causes Desktop (4.1) to freeze

jlpoole · 2013-07-19 00:49:31

When I run XFCE and then start VLC, my desktop freezes. The only thing that responds is that my mouse can move, but clicks are not acted upon. I'm unable to escape and end up have to call a reboot from an SSH window on another machine.

Questions:
Should I log a bug with XFCE (as an application should not be able to freeze the desktop, right?) or log with VLC or both?

Also is there a reference page that describe what to do to generate debug logging so I can provide something meaningful should I log a bug with XFCE?

What is the best way to kill the XFCE session? I tried "kill -HP" and "kill -9" for the process running xfwm4 and was unsuccessful in returning my laptop's screen to the console.

Background:
I'm running on Gentoo on a Dell Inspiron

themis ~ # uname -a
Linux themis 3.7.10-gentoo-r1 #1 SMP Fri Jul 12 18:22:11 PDT 2013 x86_64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU M 460 @ 2.53GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux
themis ~ #

Here's what I have installed:

themis ~ # eix xfce -I
[I] dev-util/xfce4-dev-tools
     Available versions:  4.10.0
     Installed versions:  4.10.0(08:12:57 AM 08/05/2012)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce.org/ http://foo-projects.org/~benny/projects/xfce4-dev-tools/
     Description:         A set of scripts and m4/autoconf macros that ease build system maintenance

[I] x11-terms/xfce4-terminal
     Available versions:  0.4.8 ~0.6.2 {{dbus debug}}
     Installed versions:  0.4.8(08:23:43 AM 08/05/2012)(dbus -debug)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce.org/projects/terminal/
     Description:         A terminal emulator for the Xfce desktop environment

[I] x11-themes/gtk-engines-xfce
     Available versions:
        (0)     3.0.1-r200
        (3)     3.0.1-r300
        {{debug}}
     Installed versions:  3.0.1-r200(08:08:26 PM 11/06/2012)(-debug) 3.0.1-r300(3)(12:17:45 PM 05/09/2013)(-debug)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce.org/projects/
     Description:         A port of Xfce engine to GTK+ 3.x

[I] x11-themes/xfce-gant-icon-theme
     Available versions:  3.9_p6^bs
     Installed versions:  3.9_p6^bs(08:12:10 AM 08/05/2012)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce-look.org/content/show.php/GANT?content=23297
     Description:         Xfce Gant Icon Theme

[I] xfce-base/libxfce4ui
     Available versions:  4.10.0 {{debug glade startup-notification}}
     Installed versions:  4.10.0(01:03:30 AM 08/05/2012)(startup-notification -debug -glade)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce.org/projects/libxfce4
     Description:         Unified widgets and session management libraries for the Xfce desktop environment

[I] xfce-base/libxfce4util
     Available versions:  4.10.0 ~4.10.1 {{debug}}
     Installed versions:  4.10.0(12:02:01 AM 08/05/2012)(-debug)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce.org/projects/
     Description:         A basic utility library for the Xfce desktop environment

[I] xfce-base/libxfcegui4
     Available versions:  4.10.0 {{glade startup-notification}}
     Installed versions:  4.10.0(08:12:43 AM 08/05/2012)(startup-notification -glade)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce.org/
     Description:         A compability library for unported Xfce 4.6 plugins

[I] xfce-base/xfce4-appfinder
     Available versions:  4.10.0-r1 ~4.10.1 {{debug}}
     Installed versions:  4.10.0-r1(07:07:58 PM 05/20/2013)(-debug)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce.org/projects/
     Description:         A tool to find and launch installed applications for the Xfce desktop environment

[I] xfce-base/xfce4-meta
     Available versions:  4.10 {{minimal +svg}}
     Installed versions:  4.10(01:18:50 AM 08/05/2012)(svg -minimal)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce.org/
     Description:         The Xfce Desktop Environment (meta package)

[I] xfce-base/xfce4-panel
     Available versions:  4.10.0-r1 ~4.10.1 {{debug}}
     Installed versions:  4.10.0-r1(01:07:06 PM 05/08/2013)(-debug)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce.org/projects/
     Description:         Panel for the Xfce desktop environment

[I] xfce-base/xfce4-session
     Available versions:  4.10.0-r1 ~4.10.1 {{consolekit debug gnome-keyring policykit systemd udev +xscreensaver}}
     Installed versions:  4.10.0-r1(01:37:00 PM 05/08/2013)(consolekit policykit udev xscreensaver -debug -gnome-keyring)
     Homepage:            http://docs.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-session/start
     Description:         A session manager for the Xfce desktop environment

[I] xfce-base/xfce4-settings
     Available versions:  4.10.0 ~4.10.1 {{debug libcanberra libnotify +xklavier}}
     Installed versions:  4.10.0(01:08:44 AM 08/05/2012)(libnotify xklavier -debug -libcanberra)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce.org/projects/
     Description:         Configuration system for the Xfce desktop environment

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-battery-plugin
     Available versions:  1.0.5 {{debug kernel_linux}}
     Installed versions:  1.0.5(07:12:01 PM 05/20/2013)(kernel_linux -debug)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-battery-plugin
     Description:         A battery monitor panel plugin for the Xfce desktop environment

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-clipman-plugin
     Available versions:  1.2.3 {{debug}}
     Installed versions:  1.2.3(08:28:05 AM 08/05/2012)(-debug)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-clipman-plugin
     Description:         A clipboard manager plug-in for the Xfce panel

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-cpugraph-plugin
     Available versions:  1.0.5 {{debug}}
     Installed versions:  1.0.5(10:19:18 AM 11/07/2012)(-debug)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-cpugraph-plugin
     Description:         A system load plug-in for the Xfce panel

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-datetime-plugin
     Available versions:  0.6.2 {{debug}}
     Installed versions:  0.6.2(01:13:27 PM 05/08/2013)(-debug)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-datetime-plugin
     Description:         A panel plug-in with date, time and embedded calender

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-dict
     Available versions:  0.6.0
     Installed versions:  0.6.0(08:28:55 AM 08/05/2012)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/applications/xfce4-dict
     Description:         A dict.org querying application and panel plug-in for the Xfce desktop

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-diskperf-plugin
     Available versions:  2.5.4 {{debug}}
     Installed versions:  2.5.4(10:19:04 AM 11/07/2012)(-debug)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-diskperf-plugin
     Description:         A panel plug-in for disk usage and performance statistics

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-kbdleds-plugin
     Available versions:  0.0.6 {{debug}}
     Installed versions:  0.0.6(08:22:12 AM 08/05/2012)(-debug)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-kbdleds-plugin
     Description:         A panel plug-in to show state of Caps, Num and Scroll Lock keys

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-mixer
     Available versions:  4.10.0 {{alsa debug oss}}
     Installed versions:  4.10.0(07:10:31 PM 05/20/2013)(alsa -debug -oss)
     Homepage:            http://www.xfce.org/projects/xfce4-mixer/
     Description:         A volume control application (and panel plug-in) for the Xfce desktop environment

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-mpc-plugin
     Available versions:  0.4.4 {{debug libmpd}}
     Installed versions:  0.4.4(10:19:34 AM 11/07/2012)(-debug -libmpd)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-mpc-plugin
     Description:         Music Player Daemon (mpd) panel plugin

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-notes-plugin
     Available versions:  1.7.7
     Installed versions:  1.7.7(08:29:16 AM 08/05/2012)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-notes-plugin
     Description:         Xfce4 panel sticky notes plugin

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-power-manager
     Available versions:  1.2.0-r1 {{debug kernel_linux networkmanager policykit +udisks +xfce_plugins_brightness}}
     Installed versions:  1.2.0-r1(07:05:29 PM 05/20/2013)(kernel_linux policykit udisks xfce_plugins_brightness -debug -networkmanager)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/applications/xfce4-power-manager
     Description:         Power manager for the Xfce desktop environment

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-screenshooter
     Available versions:  1.8.1 {{debug}}
     Installed versions:  1.8.1(08:29:46 AM 08/05/2012)(-debug)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/applications/xfce4-screenshooter
     Description:         Xfce4 screenshooter application and panel plugin

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-systemload-plugin
     Available versions:  1.1.1 {{debug udev}}
     Installed versions:  1.1.1(10:23:40 AM 11/07/2012)(udev -debug)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-systemload-plugin
     Description:         System load plug-in for Xfce panel

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-taskmanager
     Available versions:  1.0.0 {{debug}}
     Installed versions:  1.0.0(08:23:03 AM 08/05/2012)(-debug)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/applications/xfce4-taskmanager
     Description:         Task Manager

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-timer-plugin
     Available versions:  1.0.0 ~1.5.0
     Installed versions:  1.0.0(01:11:26 PM 05/08/2013)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-timer-plugin
     Description:         A simple timer plug-in for the Xfce desktop environment

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-volumed
     Available versions:  0.1.13 {{alsa debug libnotify oss}}
     Installed versions:  0.1.13(08:33:54 AM 08/05/2012)(alsa libnotify -debug -oss)
     Homepage:            https://launchpad.net/xfce4-volumed
     Description:         Daemon to control volume up/down and mute keys

[I] xfce-extra/xfce4-wavelan-plugin
     Available versions:  0.5.11 {{debug kernel_linux}}
     Installed versions:  0.5.11(10:18:27 AM 11/07/2012)(kernel_linux -debug)
     Homepage:            http://goodies.xfce.org/projects/panel-plugins/xfce4-wavelan-plugin
     Description:         A panel plug-in to display wireless interface statistics

Found 29 matches.
themis ~ #

Here's what version of VLC I have installed:

     Installed versions:  2.0.7(02:25:31 PM 07/11/2013)(X a52 aac alsa avcodec avformat cdda dbus dts dvb dvbpsi dvd elibc_glibc encode ffmpeg flac gcrypt libnotify mmx mp3 mpeg ncurses ogg opengl png postproc sdl sse svg swscale theora truetype udev vorbis x264 xcb xml xv -aalib -altivec -atmo -audioqueue -avahi -bidi -bluray -cddb -dc1394 -debug -dirac -direct2d -directfb -directx -dshow -dxva2 -egl -fbosd -fluidsynth -fontconfig -gme -gnome -gnutls -growl -httpd -ieee1394 -ios-vout -jack -kate -kde -libass -libcaca -libproxy -libsamplerate -libtar -libtiger -linsys -lirc -live -lua -macosx -macosx-audio -macosx-dialog-provider -macosx-eyetv -macosx-qtkit -macosx-quartztext -macosx-vout -matroska -media-library -modplug -mtp -musepack -neon -omxil -optimisememory -opus -oss -portaudio -projectm -pulseaudio -pvr -qt4 -rtsp -run-as-root -samba -schroedinger -sdl-image -shine -shout -sid -skins -speex -sqlite -switcher -taglib -twolame -upnp -v4l -vaapi -vcdx -vlm -waveout -wingdi -wma-fixed -xosd -zvbi)
     Homepage:            http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
     Description:         VLC media player - Video player and streamer

Korrode · 2013-07-20 19:47:08

jlpoole wrote:

When I run XFCE and then start VLC, my desktop freezes. The only thing that responds is that my mouse can move, but clicks are not acted upon. I'm unable to escape and end up have to call a reboot from an SSH window on another machine.

When you start VLC? or when you start playing a video with it?

jlpoole wrote:

What is the best way to kill the XFCE session? I tried "kill -HP" and "kill -9" for the process running xfwm4 and was unsuccessful in returning my laptop's screen to the console.

killall X

(note upper-case X)
Should kill all running X sessions.

Is the VLC binary you're trying to run compiled on your system, against your current libraries?
If you have a video card that supports VDPAU, do you have the library installed?
If you run vlc from a terminal is there any meaningful output?

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#1 2013-07-19 00:49:31

VLC causes Desktop (4.1) to freeze

#2 2013-07-20 19:47:08

Re: VLC causes Desktop (4.1) to freeze

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