Split-browser with debian-minimal doesn't show up

User Support
1

I installed @rustybird 's brilliant qubes-split-browser, and it worked really well when the disp-template was fedora-34-dvm or whonix-ws-16-dvm. However, when the disp-template is a minimal debian-firefox qube, very often I see error messages in that persistent qube that stores bookmarks (which is split-backend in my case). It says:

disp: (firefox-esr:xxx): Gtk-WARNING **:xx:xx:xx.xxx(current time): Locale not supported by C library.
disp: Using the fallback 'C' locale.
disp: Unable to init server: Could not connect: Connection refused
disp: Error: cannot open display: :0

It launches a disp but firefox isn’t showing up. If I run firefox in cli in that disp, I receive an error Failed to read the configuration file. Please contact your system administrater., but firefox launches, but those shortcuts (Alt+B to open bookmarks in split-backend, etc.) don’t work.

More details:

I have 4 disp-templates: fedora-34-dvm, whonix-ws-16-dvm, split-frontend and deb-firefox. The latter two are based on the same template qube, which is a debian-minimal qube, installed with firefox-esr, pulseaudio-qubes, and thunar.

In deb-firefox, I ran firefox-esr and did some modification to it (extensions, preferences, etc.). I didn’t run firefox-esr in split-frontend.

When split-backend 's default dispvm is set to split-frontend, a reboot “occasionally” solves the problem. After reboot, I can have disps launching properly.
But, at that point, if I split-backend 's change default dispvm to deb-firefox, and try to launch disps, the same error will occur.
If I change it back to split-frontend, the problem does not disappear.
If I change it to fedora-34-dvm, the problem disappears.

When split-backend 's default dispvm is set to deb-firefox, reboot doesn’t solve the problem.

How can I debug this? Thank you!

2

Here are two lines from journalctl.

May 11 10:22:29 disp8418 qubes-gui[559]: WARNING handle_focus: Window 0x1000003 data not initializedXGetWindowAttributes for 0x1000003 failed in handle_crossing, ret=0x0
May 11 10:22:57 disp8418 qubes-gui[559]: XGetWindowAttributes for 0x1000003 failed in handle_crossing, ret=0x0
3

According to my observation, in launched dispVMs, sb.js has been copied to /usr/lib/firefox-esr, and sb-load.js has been copied to /usr/lib/firefox/default/pref/. So it’s firefox not recognizing them.

4

I managed to partly fix the issue. In /usr/local/etc/qubes-rpc/, edit the split-browser-disp, in “master” section, add the line cd -- "$SB_FIREFOX_DIR", and I can launch firefox and use split-browser functions. However, simply editing that in disp-template is not sufficient. Firefox doesn’t show up automatically, and I have to manually run “split-browser-disp” and input “master” in that launched disp to have a working split-browser.

EDIT: Seems that only disp to persist channel is set up in this workaround. I can create new bookmarks and call bookmark function, but I can’t open bookmark links in the browser.

5

After heavy testing, I find significant inconsistency in whether firefox will launch in debian-11-minimal based DispVMs. It’s just a matter of chance.

6

This should be fixed in qubes-split-browser-0.14.1 (it’s the only real change from 0.14.0), but the package has been stuck in the testing repository. I’ve pinged fepitre about stabilization.

If you want to apply the bugfix manually, note that it’s for the persistent side even though the error message originates on the disposable side.

1 Like
7

Thank you for that! The problem has been solved.

8

Hello everyone,

I find myself having the same problem, with same symptoms.
Sometimes the disposable will not launch Firefox, with the same error message.
Also, the split-browser functionality does not work in Firefox.
This is both in debian and fedora templates. Tried to reinstall from scratch starting from a minimal, clean template each time.
qubes-split-browser(-disp) packages v0.15, installed from qubes-contrib repos.

Tor disposables are working fine tho.
Grateful for any help.

9

Is it really still this exact error message:

disp: Unable to init server: Could not connect: Connection refused
disp: Error: cannot open display: :0
10

Oops, this should have been a reply to your post:

11

Hello rustybird,

Yes it is the very same message. Don’t hesitate asking for any logs if you need them.

12

Same mistake I did, replying to your post !

13

Hmmm can you double-check that the split-browser script (in your persistent VM) contains the +WaitForSession fix? Like maybe you’ve got an old version lying around somewhere that takes precedence in your $PATH?

sudo journalctl -b in the disp1234 (after the error message has arrived in your persistent VM) might show something interesting.

14

Ok so:

  • You were indeed right for another binary running instead of the /usr/bin/split-browser. So first problem is solved.

  • However, second problem (no functionality, and disp not shutting down on firefox close) is still there. Attached are the relevant logs:

Sep 09 18:02:14 disp7966 systemd[1]: Startup finished in 3.275s (kernel) + 1.016s (userspace) = 4.292s.
Sep 09 18:02:14 disp7966 kernel: fbcon: Taking over console
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qubes-gui[549]: Waiting on /var/run/xf86-qubes-socket socket...
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qrexec-agent[564]: 2022-09-09 18:02:15.099 qrexec-agent[564]: qrexec-agent-data.c:244:handle_new_process_common: executed: user:QUBESRPC qubes.SetMonitorLayout dom0 (pid 569)
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qrexec-agent[569]: pam_unix(qrexec:session): session opened for user user(uid=1000) by (uid=0)
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qubes-gui-runuser[558]: pam_unix(qubes-gui-agent:session): session opened for user user(uid=1000) by (uid=0)
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qubes-gui[576]: Cannot open display ":0"
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qubes-gui[549]: Ok, somebody connected.
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qrexec-agent[569]: pam_unix(qrexec:session): session closed for user user
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qrexec-agent[564]: 2022-09-09 18:02:15.347 qrexec-agent[564]: qrexec-agent-data.c:272:handle_new_process_common: pid 569 exited with 0
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 dbus-daemon[643]: [session uid=1000 pid=641] Activating service name='org.freedesktop.systemd1' requested by ':1.2' (uid=1000 pid=659 comm="systemctl --user show-environment ")
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 dbus-daemon[643]: [session uid=1000 pid=641] Activated service 'org.freedesktop.systemd1' failed: Process org.freedesktop.systemd1 exited with status 1
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qrexec-agent[711]: Cannot access user instance remotely.
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 sudo[730]:     user : PWD=/usr/lib/firefox-esr ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/bin/install -d -m u+rwx -o 1000 . defaults/pref/
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 sudo[730]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root(uid=0) by (uid=1000)
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 sudo[730]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qubes.VMShell+WaitForSession-web[728]:
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qubes.VMShell+WaitForSession-web[728]: (firefox-esr:738): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:02:15.860: Locale not supported by C library.
Sep 09 18:02:15 disp7966 qubes.VMShell+WaitForSession-web[728]:         Using the fallback 'C' locale.
Sep 09 18:02:32 disp7966 qubes.WaitForSession-dom0[966]: Cannot access user instance remotely.

Also note that when doing ‘split-browser --safest’ from my persistent qube (to see any errors on stdout), I have none except from the usual GTK warnings.
Thanks for your fast answers

15

Does the persistent side show any new error messages now?

16

No, just edited my reply to say that it does not thrown anything

1 Like
17

No hurry tho, since I don’t really know from where to start searching for this bug. Available to you if you wish me to check/dig some stuff.

18

I’m stumped too: I installed fedora-36-minimal-4.0.6-202205270243 in dom0, installed qubes-repo-contrib, then qubes-split-browser-disp firefox qubes-core-agent-passwordless-root, enabled 22-firefox.bash.EXAMPLE, created a -dvm based on the TemplateVM, and it just works :confused:

Anything interesting in your dysfunctional Firefox’s browser console? (Ctrl-Shift-j)

19

Let me do the same and report back

20

Okay so following your steps, everything works.
That prompts me to say that I’ve installed arkenfox.js in my disp templates, so I assume that it does mess up with split-browser.
Would you have any idea why ?

Sorry for forgetting this detail, made you waste your time.