Switching user stops sound, can be restored by Sound Prefs/Hardware/Configuration

[ichudov]

Binary package hint: pulseaudio

This problem is very easy to reproduce.

- Logon as user A.
- Play sound.
- Switch user via Fast User Switching to user B.
- Switch back to A.

Now sound does not work.

The "fix" is to open a sound preferences dialog, go to Hardware and re-select the hardware configuration, it starts working again.

It seems to occur on more than one computer.

It is highly annoying for my kids and I would love this to be fixed. I can help all I can.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: pulseaudio 1:0.9.22~0.9.21+stable-queue-32-g8478-0ubuntu14
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-22.33-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-22-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: i386
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 0: VT1708S Analog [VT1708S Analog]
   Subdevices: 2/2
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
   Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ichudov 29981 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: ichudov 29981 F...m pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'NVidia'/'HDA NVidia at 0xf7e78000 irq 21'
   Mixer name : 'VIA VT1708S'
   Components : 'HDA:11060397,1043836c,00100000'
   Controls : 37
   Simple ctrls : 21
Date: Tue May 18 21:29:40 2010
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: pulseaudio
dmi.bios.date: 03/27/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0704
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: M4N72-E
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0704:bd03/27/2009:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnM4N72-E:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

[Daniel T Chen (crimsun)]

Are both users A and B in the audio group? If so, they should *not* be.

[ichudov (igor-chudov)]

On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 03:08:59AM -0000, Daniel T Chen wrote:
> Are both users A and B in the audio group? If so, they should *not* be.
>

Steve, they may be both in the audio group, yes.

Could you clarify:

1) Can a user who is NOT in audio group, listen to audio?
2) Can I have one use only in audio group, and everyone using sound
after fast user switching?

Thanks a lot

i

[Daniel T Chen (crimsun)]

(Who is Steve?)

In Ubuntu, group membership for audio is no longer necessary due to PulseAudio's use of udev acls via ConsoleKit. So: (1) yes, if a user has the active seat (e.g., you're at the keyboard), s/he can listen to audio; (2) no user should be in the audio group, because this overrides udev acls via ConsoleKit and causes headaches. See bug 433654.

[ichudov (igor-chudov)]

Daniel, sorry for wrong name. :)

I did remove all users from group audio and rebooted. Unfortunately, it made things even worse.

Now, every time I start mplayer, it starts muted. I have to change the "output configuration" to un-mute it. Again, this happens every tmie I start mplayer, not just when I switch user.

[Daniel T Chen (crimsun)]

Can you try removing ~/.pulse* and using pulseaudio -k ?

[ichudov (igor-chudov)]

Daniel, I did that, rebooted, and re-logged on. It did not help at all and made matters worse.

The bug is not going away at all. I have to switch sound hardware every time I start any player (mplayer, vlc etc). It gets a little bit ridiculous.

[Shompol (shompol)]

Same problem, on all my computers, default configuration ubuntu 10.04. One would expect that it should be possible to switch user and still use audio out of the box.

Will check the audio group settings tonight.

[Shompol (shompol)]

Removing users from audio group worked:

System -> Administration -> Users and Groups -> Advanced Settings -> User Privileges
Uncheck "Use audio devices", repeat for all users

Yet another reason why everyone in my household hates Linux by now.

[Peter Rhone (prhone-gmail)]

This happens for me, but neither of us is or ever was in the Audio group. If my wife uses the computer and switches to her account, when I switch back the sound is dead and I have to reboot.

[Shompol (shompol)]

Peter, try to MUTE then UNMUTE the audio in the volume control. I need to do
this regularly. Hope it works, should be easier than reboot...

On Thu, Mar 31, 2011 at 6:02 PM, Peter Rhone <email address hidden> wrote:

> *** This bug is a duplicate of bug 433654 ***
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/433654
>
> This happens for me, but neither of us is or ever was in the Audio
> group. If my wife uses the computer and switches to her account, when I
> switch back the sound is dead and I have to reboot.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/582630
>
> Title:
> Switching user stops sound, can be restored by Sound
> Prefs/Hardware/Configuration
>
> Status in “pulseaudio” package in Ubuntu:
> Confirmed
>
> Bug description:
> Binary package hint: pulseaudio
>
> This problem is very easy to reproduce.
>
> - Logon as user A.
> - Play sound.
> - Switch user via Fast User Switching to user B.
> - Switch back to A.
>
> Now sound does not work.
>
> The "fix" is to open a sound preferences dialog, go to Hardware and
> re-select the hardware configuration, it starts working again.
>
> It seems to occur on more than one computer.
>
> It is highly annoying for my kids and I would love this to be fixed. I
> can help all I can.
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
> Package: pulseaudio 1:0.9.22~0.9.21+stable-queue-32-g8478-0ubuntu14
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-22.33-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
> Uname: Linux 2.6.32-22-generic i686
> NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
> AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
> Architecture: i386
> ArecordDevices:
> **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
> card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 0: VT1708S Analog [VT1708S Analog]
> Subdevices: 2/2
> Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
> Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
> AudioDevicesInUse:
> USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
> /dev/snd/controlC0: ichudov 29981 F.... pulseaudio
> /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: ichudov 29981 F...m pulseaudio
> Card0.Amixer.info:
> Card hw:0 'NVidia'/'HDA NVidia at 0xf7e78000 irq 21'
> Mixer name : 'VIA VT1708S'
> Components : 'HDA:11060397,1043836c,00100000'
> Controls : 37
> Simple ctrls : 21
> Date: Tue May 18 21:29:40 2010
> ProcEnviron:
> PATH=(custom, user)
> SHELL=/bin/bash
> SourcePackage: pulseaudio
> dmi.bios.date: 03/27/2009
> dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
> dmi.bios.version: 0704
> dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
> dmi.board.name: M4N72-E
> dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
> dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
> dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
> dmi.chassis.type: 3
> dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
> dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
> dmi.modalias:
> dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0704:bd03/27/2009:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnM4N72-E:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
> dmi.product.name: System Product Name
> dmi.product.version: System Version
> dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer
>
> To unsubscribe from this bug, ...