LMDE: firefox crashes when starting to download a file

[Krzysztof Łuczak]

System: Up-to-date LMDE Xfce (Polish)
After today's upgrade firefox (5.0-1linuxmint1) crashes when trying do download any file. Running from terminal:
/opt/firefox/firefox-bin: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/gnome-vfs-2.0/modules/libfile.so: undefined symbol: gnome_vfs_unescape_string

Today's upgrade (from Synaptic history):
Commit Log for Tue Aug 16 08:57:15 2011

Zaktualizowano następujące pakiety: [UPGRADED]
brasero (2.30.3-2) to 2.30.3-3
brasero-common (2.30.3-2) to 2.30.3-3
gettext-base (0.18.1.1-3) to 0.18.1.1-4
gnome-bluetooth (2.30.0-2) to 2.30.0-3
gnome-disk-utility (2.32.0-1) to 2.32.1-1
gnome-settings-daemon (2.30.2-3) to 2.30.2-4
gnome-user-share (2.30.1-1) to 2.30.2-1
libbrasero-media0 (2.30.3-2) to 2.30.3-3
libgdu-gtk0 (2.32.0-1) to 2.32.1-1
libgdu0 (2.32.0-1) to 2.32.1-1
libgnome-bluetooth7 (2.30.0-2) to 2.30.0-3
libgnutls26 (2.10.5-3) to 2.12.7-6
libnotify-bin (0.5.0-2) to 0.7.3-2
libpcre3 (8.12-3) to 8.12-4
libperl5.12 (5.12.4-2) to 5.12.4-4
libthunarx-2-0 (1.2.2-1) to 1.2.2-1+b1
network-manager-gnome (0.8.4-2) to 0.8.4-3
perl (5.12.4-2) to 5.12.4-4
perl-base (5.12.4-2) to 5.12.4-4
perl-modules (5.12.4-2) to 5.12.4-4
python-notify (0.1.1-2+b3) to 0.1.1-3
rhythmbox (0.12.8-3) to 0.12.8-5
rhythmbox-plugins (0.12.8-3) to 0.12.8-5
thunar (1.2.2-1) to 1.2.2-1+b1
thunar-volman (0.6.0-4) to 0.6.0-4+b1
totem (2.30.2-6) to 2.30.2-8
totem-common (2.30.2-6) to 2.30.2-8
totem-gstreamer (2.30.2-6) to 2.30.2-8
totem-mozilla (2.30.2-6) to 2.30.2-8
totem-plugins (2.30.2-6) to 2.30.2-8
transmission-common (2.03-2) to 2.03-2.2
transmission-gtk (2.03-2) to 2.03-2.2
vino (2.28.2-3) to 3.0.3-1
xfce4-places-plugin (1.2.0-3) to 1.2.0-3+b1
xfce4-power-manager (1.0.10-4) to 1.0.10-4+b1
xfce4-power-manager-plugins (1.0.10-4) to 1.0.10-4+b1
xfce4-settings (4.8.2-2) to 4.8.2-2+b1
xfce4-volumed (0.1.13-2) to 0.1.13-2+b1
xfdesktop4 (4.8.2-1) to 4.8.2-1+b1
zenity (2.30.0-1) to 3.0.0-2

Zainstalowano następujące pakiety: [INSTALLED]
libnotify4 (0.7.3-2)
libtracker-client-0.10-0 (0.10.21-2)
libtracker-sparql-0.10-0 (0.10.21-2)
libunistring0 (0.9.3-4)
zenity-common (3.0.0-2)

After upgrade I removed packages (found in Local or obsolete):
libgalago3
libnotify1
libtracker-client-0.8-0

[H-bobby (h-bobby)]

Running latest nightly, I'm trying to download require.js. Require.js' website brings me to the actual js file when I click on the download link, so I right-click on it, choose a directory, and kablamo.

"""
init windows
install addon
running on Linux
minefield: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/gnome-vfs-2.0/modules/libfile.so: undefined symbol: gnome_vfs_unescape_string
"""

Simply clicking on the "Downloads" button to see a list of downloads causes this to happen too.

I don't get an about:crashes log after this happens.

Not terribly sure if this is a result of something within firefox, or if I should blame an Arch package update.

[Bzbarsky (bzbarsky)]

If it's happening with a mozilla.org build, it's our bug.

Is this a regression? If so, what's the range?

[Yasar11732 (yasar11732)]

Using 8.0a1 (2011-07-10)

I can confirm this problem. Happens to me too.

Linux yasar-laptop 2.6.39-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon Jun 27 22:01:13 CEST 2011 i686 Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1.86GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

[Kbrosnan-mozilla (kbrosnan-mozilla)]

*** Bug 668997 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[H-bobby (h-bobby)]

(In reply to comment #2)
> Using 8.0a1 (2011-07-10)
>
> I can confirm this problem. Happens to me too.
>
> Linux yasar-laptop 2.6.39-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon Jun 27 22:01:13 CEST 2011
> i686 Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1.86GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

Do you actually use gnome? I'm on Arch as well. Seriously considering it as the source of this bug.

Seems to occur only when Downloads pane tries to open.

Any other linux's have this happen?

[Yasar11732 (yasar11732)]

I used gnome earlier with this system, then switched to xfce. As far as I know (I may be wrong about this), thunar volume manager, or some other xfce component needed gnome vfs so I kept it installed. I also think that that might be source of the problem.

[Yasar11732 (yasar11732)]

Removing gnome-vfs package solved problem for me. I also had to remove all other packages that depended on gnome-vfs but I didn't need them much so that wasn't a problem.

[Myflaar (myflaar)]

*** Bug 671202 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[M-ks (m-ks)]

I run Arch with Gnome 3 and I also experience this problem in Firefox Nightly, Aurora and Beta. I started a thread about this problem here before I saw this bug report: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2249357

When I start Firefox Nightly from the command-line, it returns this error when it crashes:
[23:54] daniel@arch ~ $ firefox-nightly
firefox-nightly: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/gnome-vfs-2.0/modules/libfile.so: undefined symbol: gnome_vfs_unescape_string
[23:54] daniel@arch ~ $

[M-ks (m-ks)]

Just updated Firefox Beta to 6.0b2-1 on Arch, and this bug still occurs.

[H-bobby (h-bobby)]

I can confirm that.

Interestingly, I have another machine running the same setup on which this doesn't occur, but I have no idea what the difference is besides the obvious (drivers, physical shape of the machine, other things that probably don't matter,...).

[H-bobby (h-bobby)]

Just tested: this doesn't happen in firefox-7.0a2.en-US.linux-i686. So, it's new in 8.

[H-bobby (h-bobby)]

Also, a clean downloads list prevents it (deleted the downloads.sqlite in my profile).

[Bzbarsky (bzbarsky)]

Can you find a regression range?

[H-bobby (h-bobby)]

Sorry about not finding a regression range. I don't normally have the firefox source handy to start jumping around in.

Regardless, this seems to have stopped in either the latest nightly, or the latest update of gnome utils for arch. Can anyone verify?

[Pavlos256 (pavlos256)]

(In reply to comment #14)
> Regardless, this seems to have stopped in either the latest nightly, or the
> latest update of gnome utils for arch. Can anyone verify?

Sorry, no. Still happens for me on a fully updated arch system with the latest nightly (be4b064f1159).

Deleting downloads.sqlite prevents the crash when opening the download list but it still crashes with the same "libfile.so" error if you open the "General Tab" in preferences.

[i (iiiiii-deactivatedaccount)]

There's a bug report for libgnomevfs2-0 in Debian because of this: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=626076

I use GNOME 3 in Debian and Firefox 5.0 (from Mozilla, but it happens with Iceweasel too). FF crashes with this same error when I try to open the 'Preferences' window.
I started to happen after I was watching an HTML5 video on YouTube and then closed FF. The next time it started to behave this way (removing ~/.mozilla didn't help).

[Bersam Karbasion (bersam)]

Same Thing here, also when i go to general settings tab, at preferences.

[D-schroeter (d-schroeter)]

In the bug report from Debian is a workaround:
uncomment "file:file" in
/etc/gnome-vfs-2.0/modules/default-modules.conf
so you will get
#file: file

[Krzysztof Łuczak (krzychusss)]

Confirmed - it works.
I also get this message when trying do sava an attachement from Icedove/Thunderbird.

[S-lando (s-lando)]

In the Debian bug report one user wrote that he solved deleting the downloads.sqlite file from the profile directory.

http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=626076#91

I made this test, too, end the problem actually seems solved. The weird thing is that the old file was 4kb in size - I do not store the download history - while the newly created one is 64 kb.

[Jon Daley (78luphr0rnk2nuqimstywepozxn9kl1-pjhhylo25-a811i2i3ytqlsztthjth0svbccw8inm)]

Deleting downloads.sqlite doesn't fix it for me. It does make it so I can open the downloads window without crashing, but I still can't download anything.

Commenting out the file: file line in the gnomevfs default module file does the trick.

(Debian: iceweasel 5.0, gnome-vfs-2.0 1:2.24.4-1)

[Tapsiturtle (tapsiturtle)]

I have this problem too. I use ArchLinux x86_64 and Firefox Nightly from AUR (https://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=19830) The problem happens also when i try to open the preferences. As Workaround i use currently this one:
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libgnomevfs-2.so.0 firefox-nightly

[Tapsiturtle (tapsiturtle)]

It seems to be fixed with one of the last nightly builds or an gnome-vfs update. No problems on opening the preferences or the download windows.

[H-bobby (h-bobby)]

I can confirm this. Just updated my arch install, which, in turn, updated gnome-vfs. Also, on latest nightly now.

Looks like this disappeared eerily.

[Herczeg Zsolt (herczegzsolt)]

I found the same bug, except it happens to me even on opening the settings page.
My report would be 100% the same as this:
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=626076

It's also happends with iceweasel.

The workaround mentoined in comments is also worked for me:
Fortunately comment line (#file: file) in default-modules.conf works.

Details of my system:

$ uname -a
Linux zsoltbookmint 3.0.0-1-amd64 #1 SMP Sun Jul 24 02:24:44 UTC 2011 x86_64 GNU/Linux

libgnomevfs2-0 1:2.24.4-1
firefox 5.0-1linuxmint1

If someone need any more details, feel free to ask me for it.

[Vseerror (vseerror)]

WFM per comment 23

[Juergen Schroeder (js-mr)]

I can confirm this solution LMGE Firefox 9.0.1.

I testet with a fresh user without the sqllite files and any rc-files. FF crashes on preferences and donwloading.

uncomment "file:file" in /etc/gnome-vfs-2.0/modules/default-modules.conf

solves the problems

J. Schroeder ;-)