pidgin segfaults on start-up

[Ken]

Binary package hint: pidgin

After upgrading to hardy, I'm unable to start pidgin. I've tried the following:

  * Downloading tarball and building from source.
  * Deleting my old ~/.purple and ~/.gaim directories.

Neither seems to work. I've tried installing pidgin-dbgsym, but even with that installed, I'm unable to get a traceback with debugging symbols. Please let me know what I'm doing wrong in trying to get those symbols:

Install pidgin-dbgsym:

kkinder@kkinder-laptop:~$ sudo apt-get install pidgin-dbgsym
[....]

kkinder@kkinder-laptop:~$ gdb pidgin
[...]
(gdb) run
Starting program: /usr/bin/pidgin
[Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
[New Thread 0xb700d720 (LWP 24995)]
[New Thread 0xb5e86b90 (LWP 25000)]
[New Thread 0xb5250b90 (LWP 25001)]

Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
[Switching to Thread 0xb700d720 (LWP 24995)]
0xb68fde5a in SECMOD_ReferenceModule () from /usr/lib/libnss3.so.1d
(gdb) bt full
#0 0xb68fde5a in SECMOD_ReferenceModule () from /usr/lib/libnss3.so.1d
No symbol table info available.
#1 0xb68ff195 in ?? () from /usr/lib/libnss3.so.1d
No symbol table info available.
#2 0x00000000 in ?? ()
No symbol table info available.
(gdb)

----

Here's output if I run with -d:

kkinder@kkinder-laptop:~$ pidgin -d
(13:38:31) prefs: Reading /home/kkinder/.purple/prefs.xml
(13:38:31) prefs: Reading /etc/purple/prefs.xml
(13:38:31) prefs: removing pref /pidgin/browsers/command
(13:38:31) dbus: Failed to get connection: Failed to execute dbus-launch to autolaunch D-Bus session
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/gestures.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/cap.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/musicmessaging.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/gevolution.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/convcolors.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/ticker.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/timestamp_format.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/extplacement.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/gtkbuddynote.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/history.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/iconaway.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/markerline.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/notify.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/pidginrc.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/spellchk.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/timestamp.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/pidgin-schedule.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/xmppconsole.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/album.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/blistops.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/difftopic.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/gRIM.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/hideconv.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/irssi.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/lastseen.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/mystatusbox.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/nicksaid.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/plonkers.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/sepandtab.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/xchat-chats.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/encrypt.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/libextprefs.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/pidgin/guifications.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/ssl-gnutls.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/perl.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/ssl.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/autoaccept.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/ssl-nss.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/tcl.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/buddynote.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/idle.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/joinpart.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/log_reader.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/newline.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/offlinemsg.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/psychic.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/statenotify.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/dbus-example.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libbonjour.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libgg.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libirc.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libmyspace.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libxmpp.so
(13:38:31) util: Reading file xmpp-caps.xml from directory /home/kkinder/.purple
(13:38:31) util: File /home/kkinder/.purple/xmpp-caps.xml does not exist (this is not necessarily an error)
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libmsn.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libnovell.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libsametime.so
(13:38:31) plugins: /usr/lib/purple-2/libsametime.so has a prefs_info, but is a prpl. This is no longer supported.
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libaim.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libicq.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libqq.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libsimple.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libyahoo.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libzephyr.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/libjabber.so
(13:38:31) plugins: /usr/lib/purple-2/libjabber.so is not usable because the 'purple_init_plugin' symbol could not be found. Does the plugin call the PURPLE_INIT_PLUGIN() macro?
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/liboscar.so
(13:38:31) plugins: /usr/lib/purple-2/liboscar.so is not usable because the 'purple_init_plugin' symbol could not be found. Does the plugin call the PURPLE_INIT_PLUGIN() macro?
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/autorejoin.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/autoreply.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/bash.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/dice.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/eight_ball.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/flip.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/highlight.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/ignore.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/irc-more.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/irchelper.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/listhandler.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/oldlogger.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/showoffline.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/simfix.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/slashexec.so
(13:38:31) plugins: probing /usr/lib/purple-2/sslinfo.so
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/status/scores/offline changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/status/scores/available changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/status/scores/invisible changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/status/scores/away changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/status/scores/extended_away changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/status/scores/idle changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/status/scores/offline_msg changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) util: Reading file accounts.xml from directory /home/kkinder/.purple
(13:38:31) util: File /home/kkinder/.purple/accounts.xml does not exist (this is not necessarily an error)
(13:38:31) util: Reading file status.xml from directory /home/kkinder/.purple
(13:38:31) util: File /home/kkinder/.purple/status.xml does not exist (this is not necessarily an error)
(13:38:31) certificate: CertificateVerifier x509, singleuse requested but not found.
(13:38:31) certificate: CertificateVerifier singleuse registered
(13:38:31) certificate: CertificatePool x509, ca requested but not found.
(13:38:31) certificate: CertificateScheme x509 requested but not found.
(13:38:31) certificate/x509/ca: Lazy init failed because an X.509 Scheme is not yet registered. Maybe it will be better later.
(13:38:31) certificate/x509/ca: Init failed, probably because a dependency is not yet registered. It has been deferred to later.
(13:38:31) certificate: CertificatePool ca registered
(13:38:31) certificate: CertificatePool x509, tls_peers requested but not found.
(13:38:31) certificate: CertificatePool tls_peers registered
(13:38:31) certificate: CertificateVerifier x509, tls_cached requested but not found.
(13:38:31) certificate: CertificateVerifier tls_cached registered
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/logging/format changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/logging/format changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/proxy/type changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/proxy/host changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/proxy/port changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/proxy/username changed, scheduling save.
(13:38:31) prefs: /purple/proxy/password changed, scheduling save.
Segmentation fault
kkinder@kkinder-laptop:~$

Other info:

kkinder@kkinder-laptop:~$ apt-cache policy pidgin
pidgin:
  Installed: 1:2.4.1-1ubuntu2
  Candidate: 1:2.4.1-1ubuntu2
  Version table:
 *** 1:2.4.1-1ubuntu2 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Ubuntu info:

Linux 2.6.22-14-386 #1 Tue Feb 12 07:12:19 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux
Ubuntu 8.04

I'm using an old kernel for unrelated reasons. Please let me know what else I can do to help you reproduce this problem.

[SebastienBarthelemy (barthelemy)]

Hello,

I have the same problem, with pidgin from hardy.

to reproduce
rm -rf .purple/
gdb pidgin...

then add an account (icq for me) it connects then segfaults.

[SebastienBarthelemy (barthelemy)]

Some additional information:

when I run pidgin one more time without removing the .purple it connects to my icq account and everything seems fine. Then I try to add my msn account and it segfaults again (debug info attached).

[SebastienBarthelemy (barthelemy)]

I installed 1:2.4.3-0ubuntu1~hardy1 from hardy-backports and it works fine. It could even import my old .purple from gutsy

[Ignacy Gawędzki (iazz)]

I had exactly the same problem (segfault in SECMOD_ReferenceModule) and eventually tracked it down to library path mess-up. I had a LD_LIBRARY_PATH defined plus some funny directories added in /etc/ld.so.conf.d/ that I once needed for some software to run. Cleaning all that stuff allowed me to run that version of Pidgin fine. It may be that libnss looks for some modules in the wrong directory or something. This would explain why there's so few reports about that issue.

[Magnus S (magnuss)]

Thanks for the bug report. Is this bug still reproducible today?
If so, please attach a fresh backtrace by following the instructions at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Backtrace.

//magnus

[Ken (kkinder)]

Unfortunately, I'm no longer able to provide you with more details, because I reinstalled ubuntu from scratch and that seemed to have fixed it, even though I had the same .dotfiles in my home directory.

[Andre Beausoleil (abeausoleil)]

I seem to be having the same problem, and have had it for some time. I'm running Pidgin 2.4.1, and attached is a backtrace. It segfaults immediately upon startup, can't even select anything.

[weer (romeo8881)]

Same problem here. Segmentation fault on startup.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

We are closing this bug report as it lacks the information, described in the previous comments, we need to investigate the problem further. However, please reopen it if you can give us the missing information and don't hesitate to submit bug reports in the future.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

there is no indication that the new comments are the same issue open new bugs rather about those

[weer (romeo8881)]

Well I found out I had zero space left on partition. That's why it crashes.
--
Regards,
Roman

[Jacekalex (wampir98-deactivatedaccount)]

I have the same problem Carmic Coala 32 bit
: ~ $ Pidgin
pidgin: symbol lookup error: / usr/lib/libnss3.so: undefined symbol: PL_NewHashTable
: ~ $
Pidgin Version:
: ~ $ Pidgin - version
Pidgin 2.6.5 (libpurple 2.6.5)

libnss3 version:
: ~ $ Dpkg-l | grep libnss3
ii libnss3-1d 3.12.3.1-0ubuntu2

Failure was created after an upgrade - a few days ago.

System:
: ~ $ Uname-a
Linux localhost 2.6.31-17-generic-pae # 54-Ubuntu SMP Thu Dec 10 17:23:29 UTC 2009 i686 GNU / Linux

Yours

[Jacekalex (wampir98-deactivatedaccount)]

I have the same problem in Carmic Coala 32 bit
: ~ $ Pidgin
pidgin: symbol lookup error: / usr/lib/libnss3.so: undefined symbol: PL_NewHashTable
: ~ $
Pidgin Version:
: ~ $ Pidgin - version
Pidgin 2.6.5 (libpurple 2.6.5)

libnss3 version:
: ~ $ Dpkg-l | grep libnss3
ii libnss3-1d 3.12.3.1-0ubuntu2

Failure was created after an upgrade - a few days ago.

System:
: ~ $ Uname-a
Linux localhost 2.6.31-17-generic-pae # 54-Ubuntu SMP Thu Dec 10 17:23:29 UTC 2009 i686 GNU / Linux

Yours

[Jacekalex (wampir98-deactivatedaccount)]

I have the same problem in Carmic Coala 32 bit
: ~ $ Pidgin
pidgin: symbol lookup error: / usr/lib/libnss3.so: undefined symbol: PL_NewHashTable
: ~ $
Pidgin Version:
: ~ $ Pidgin - version
Pidgin 2.6.5 (libpurple 2.6.5)

libnss3 version:
: ~ $ dpkg-l | grep libnss3
ii libnss3-1d 3.12.3.1-0ubuntu2

Failure was created after an upgrade - a few days ago.

System:
: ~ $ Uname-a
Linux localhost 2.6.31-17-generic-pae # 54-Ubuntu SMP Thu Dec 10 17:23:29 UTC 2009 i686 GNU / Linux

Yours

[weer (romeo8881)]

LinkedIn
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Bug,

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- Roman Iftodi

Confirm that you know Roman Iftodi
https://www.linkedin.com/e/isd/1103933459/D2kqOptF/EML-invg_56/

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