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Juan
Asked: 2019-05-25 15:14:51 +0800 CST

Problem with pulseaudio at startup (it doesn't start)

  • 772

I use Ubuntu Studio 18.04.2, 64 bit Linux (with the extended support) Operating System.

I don't know why but, today one of my desktop PCs doesn't have pulseaudio working.

I tried: pulseaudio -k, first and then: pulseaudio -D but, I just got the messages:

Fail to stop the daemon because it is not working.

Fail to start the daemon.

So I went to Synaptic Packages Manager and I uninstalled, first, and then I reinstalled all about pulseaudio

But it doesn't work.

It doesn't start at startup.

Even more, I tested if I had sound from some apps (audacity, musescore, firefox) and... Nothing! There is no sound!

I have the exactly same Linux OS in my 3 PCs (two desktops and one laptop) and this issue is just present in one of my desktop, only, since today!

I don't know what to do to rescue the pulseaudio daemon!

What's wrong here?

What can I do to fix this?

BTW: If it could possible..., Can we use ALSA only? How can we switch between pulseaudio and ALSA at any time?

sound pulseaudio alsa

4 Answers

  1. For me, on Ubuntu 20.04, the solution was as easy as doing:

    systemctl --user enable pulseaudio

    followed by:

    systemctl --user start pulseaudio

    (this will fail, obviously, if you started pulseaudio manually via pulseaudio --start, so in this case to try the user unit simply issue a pulseaudio --kill followed by the above)

    Last but not least you can do systemctl --user status pulseaudio to see what the current status is (but typically you see that in the status icon for volume controls).

    None of those commands require superuser access. Tested and verified on Ubuntu 20.04 with KDE (not Kubuntu!).

    For additional troubleshooting advice I warmly recommend having a look into the Arch Wiki.

    Please be aware that the potential alternative:

    systemctl --user disable pulseaudio.socket

    ... did not work for me at all.

    • 6

  2. try maybe using:

    killall pulseaudio

    And try Again with:

    pulseaudio --start

    If it started up, But has some weird static effect, then try Doing either:

    killall pulseaudio

    OR

    pulseaudio -k && sudo alsa force-reload && sleep 2 && pulseaudio -k && sudo alsa force-reload
    • 2
  3. Best Answer

    As guiverc adviced me, I think I found the solution to this:

    1) Go to the Configuration panel

    2) Go to the Starting and Session option.

    3) Look for the tab: Startup Apps

    4) Check if there is something related with Pulseaudio

    In my specific case, I found a direct command: pulseaudio -D, activated.

    I unchecked it, and... Everything was fixed!

    So...

    • 0

  4. In my case, I have a encrypted home folder that prevent pulseaudio from starting. I got this message: "Failed to create secure directory (/home/ubuntu/.config/pulse): No such file or directory"

    The solution was to edit "sudo systemctl edit sound.target" And to put:

    [Unit]
BindsTo=home.mount
After=home.mount
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