VLC does not play movies from HFS+ partition

[gnufreex]

Binary package hint: vlc

There is a long existing bug with VLC and Linux's HFS+ driver behavior. It makes all VLC versions newer than 0.8.6 unable to play any video located on HFS+ partitions. Basically, problem is with linux kernel HFS+ driver as well as VLC itself and fix requires modifications to both. As a result, VLC recognize all files (on HFS+ volume) as folders and refuses to play any of them.

Here is one thread on Ubuntu forums about the issue
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1073845

And here is one on VLC forums
http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=52379

Bug is easily reproducible, you do not need a Mac. Just follow three simple steps:

1. Make one HFS+ partition with Gparted
2. Copy some video file on it.
3. Try to play it with VLC.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun Jan 3 22:44:45 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: vlc 1.0.2-1ubuntu2
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-16.53-generic
SourcePackage: vlc
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-16-generic x86_64

[gnufreex (gnufreex)]

http://pastebin.com/f764e4f2

To give better view on a bug, I just typed 'vlc -vv' in terminal, and when VLC showed, I tried to play video. Whole output is in above pastebin.

[jhfhlkjlj (fdsuufijjejejejej-deactivatedaccount)]

Not in any position to test for you (though it seems pretty straightforward that this issue affects all), but this probably "Also Affects Project". Might want to link the "long-lasting" bug from VLC's tracker to this one.

[jhfhlkjlj (fdsuufijjejejejej-deactivatedaccount)]

Sorry, but this is a dupe of bug 349707 in LP.

Seems to be a kernel problem - Bad implementation of the HFS+ driver. There looks to be a workaround. That report could use some work and kicking up to do, so go ahead and nudge them :).

[gnufreex (gnufreex)]

Thanks for reply.

Concerning reproducing this bufg, you do not even need to make HFS+ partition on HDD, if you have empty USB flesh drive, format it to HFS+ and it will work... I mean "not work" :).

[gnufreex (gnufreex)]

I tested this on ArchLinux few days ago, so I added Arch to affected distributions. It is a kernel issue so probably affects all distros.

[jhfhlkjlj (fdsuufijjejejejej-deactivatedaccount)]

Keep in mind, mickie.kext, this is a dupe report.

This is obviously a kernel issue, and I hate to say it but the comment from the original report is right: The only way this will get fixed is if you submit a patch or if you commission someone else to, because it really looks like it will only get fixed if a kernel dev wants it to, which won't happen. Thank you for all your enthusiasm to help, but this looks like a scenario where we need to find a patcher with enough motivation to fix it.

Good luck :).