[Error] Firefox segfaults when using systemd/init

[pavinjosdev]

Describe the bug
Firefox and Firefox based browsers like Mullvad Browser segfaults when creating container with systemd/init flag using Debian 12 toolbox container image (on LMDE 6/Debian 12 host). Issue persists even when using --unshare-all flag. No issues when creating distrobox without systemd/init.

To Reproduce

# Create distrobox with init
distrobox create --image quay.io/toolbx-images/debian-toolbox:12 --init --additional-packages 'systemd libpam-systemd firefox-esr' --name debs

# Enter distrobox
distrobox enter debs

# Open firefox in normal mode
firefox

# Or safe mode
firefox --safe-mode

# Visit youtube and play a video in a new tab
# If no issue, stop distrobox and enter it again.
# Then open youtube with multiple tabs.
# If still no issue, restart host and open youtube in distrobox

Expected behavior
Firefox works without segfaults and other errors.

Distrobox Logs including firefox issue at the end
distrobox_debug.txt

Podman Logs
podman_debug.txt

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• Are you using podman, docker or lilipod? podman
• Which version or podman, docker or lilipod? podman version 4.3.1
• Which version of distrobox? distrobox: 1.6.0 stable
• Which host distribution? LMDE 6 (Debian 12.1)
• How did you install distrobox? from github curl/bash script using latest stable version

Additional context
I have been having this issue for a few weeks but not been able to figure out the cause. Issue reproduced when using Fedora 38/39 Silverblue host & container, Debian trixie/sid host & Debian 12 container using distrobox v1.5.0.2 dev and stable as well.

Issue happens when visiting complex websites like YouTube, other large/complicated programs such as Mullvad VPN GUI are also affected. Issue persists when running Firefox in both normal mode and safe mode (addons/extensions disabled)

Opening this issue here as I was not able to reproduce the issue on a basic podman container running on the same host with systemd init, X11, and Pulse audio passthrough.

Thanks for any help in troubleshooting this.

Updates:
Issue reproduced on distrobox stable v1.6.0 and with/without deleting firefox profile (/home/pavin/.mozilla)

[89luca89]

Hi @pavinjosdev

I've just tried and I couldn't reproduce with 1.6.0 and podman 4.7.2 on Aeon

[pavinjosdev]

@89luca89 I'm still getting errors in a Fedora 39 Silverblue VM with --unshare-all flag and distrobox v1.6.0. I tried Aeon/MicroOS and it came with distrobox 1.5.2 and it still had the errors. Couldn't log it as I uninstalled 1.5.2 and tried 1.6.0 but then everything became more buggy, not distrobox but Aeon itself.

I think perhaps my host has some issue? I will try this on a secondary machine and update.

Here's the log of firefox crashing in Silverblue:

📦[pavin@debs ~]$ firefox
Gtk-Message: 13:00:30.192: Failed to load module "canberra-gtk-module"
Gtk-Message: 13:00:30.194: Failed to load module "canberra-gtk-module"
[GFX1-]: glxtest: libpci missing
[Child 4077, MediaDecoderStateMachine #1] WARNING: 7fd7d9e82b80 Could not set cubeb stream name.: file ./dom/media/AudioStream.cpp:321
ATTENTION: default value of option mesa_glthread overridden by environment.
[Child 4077, MediaDecoderStateMachine #1] WARNING: 7fd7cda22b80 Could not set cubeb stream name.: file ./dom/media/AudioStream.cpp:321
ATTENTION: default value of option mesa_glthread overridden by environment.
[Parent 3888, IPC Launch] WARNING: fork() failed: Resource temporarily unavailable: file ./ipc/chromium/src/base/process_util_linux.cc:280
[Parent 3888, IPC I/O Parent] WARNING: Failed to launch tab subprocess: file ./ipc/glue/GeckoChildProcessHost.cpp:802
[Child 4101, MediaDecoderStateMachine #1] WARNING: Decoder=7fb863a54b00 Decode error: NS_ERROR_DOM_MEDIA_DECODE_ERR (0x806e0004) - RefPtr<mozilla::MozPromise<nsTArray<RefPtr<mozilla::MediaData> >, mozilla::MediaResult, true> > mozilla::VPXDecoder::ProcessDecode(mozilla::MediaRawData*): VPX error: Unspecified internal error: file ./dom/media/MediaDecoderStateMachineBase.cpp:164
[Child 4101, MediaDecoderStateMachine #1] WARNING: Decoder=7fb875c9ca00 Decode error: NS_ERROR_DOM_MEDIA_FATAL_ERR (0x806e0005) - mozilla::MediaResult mozilla::FFmpegDataDecoder<46465650>::InitDecoder(): Couldn't open avcodec: file ./dom/media/MediaDecoderStateMachineBase.cpp:164
[Child 4101, MediaDecoderStateMachine #1] WARNING: Decoder=7fb861435900 Decode error: NS_ERROR_DOM_MEDIA_DECODE_ERR (0x806e0004) - RefPtr<mozilla::MozPromise<nsTArray<RefPtr<mozilla::MediaData> >, mozilla::MediaResult, true> > mozilla::VPXDecoder::ProcessDecode(mozilla::MediaRawData*): VPX error: Unspecified internal error: file ./dom/media/MediaDecoderStateMachineBase.cpp:164
Exiting due to channel error.
Exiting due to channel error.
Exiting due to channel error.
Exiting due to channel error.
Exiting due to channel error.
Exiting due to channel error.
Exiting due to channel error.
Exiting due to channel error.

[pavinjosdev]

@89luca89 I did some more testing on physical machines (fully updated and rebooted fresh) this time using distrobox v1.6.0 (installed from github) and the same create command in my initial post. These are my findings:

1. LMDE 5 (Debian 11) laptop: Firefox worked without segfaults, but there was no audio. Installed pipewire and there was audio. Stopped distrobox using distrobox stop debs and entered it again to confirm everything was working still. The dreaded segfaults returned and won't go away even after removing and creating distrobox again.
2. Fedora 39 KDE laptop: Firefox segfaulted on first open itself. Stopping and entering container again did not solve issue.

Could you try to stop the distrobox from your test on Aeon and enter it again to verify? Perhaps restart the Aeon host and try again to see if it happens?
I will ask around in the matrix chat, if anyone else is able to reproduce the issue.

Thanks for your help! 🙂