Firefox not running: unable to load XPCOM (was Re: )

Fri Apr 2 07:48:28 UTC 2010

Hi Don,

>>>> Yesterday I updated to kernel 2.6.32.9.70 fc12 and to
>>> firefox-3.5.9-1.fc12 and now firefox won't start. I get a
>>> notice in the bottom bar for a few seconds and then it goes
>>> blank.
>>>
>>> Strange, I have the same package versions and firefox runs
>>> fine...
>>>
>>>> I tried starting firefox in a terminal and it returned
>>> "can't load XPCOM"
>>>> I tried 'locate XPCOM' and it returned some files in
>>> /usr/lib/VirtualBox and
>>> /usr/lib/xulrunner-1.9.1/modules/XPCOMUtils.jsm
>>>
>>> Uhmmm... I don't have virtualbox installed, so this can
>>> make the difference.
>>>
>>>> I have VirtualBox installed, but I am not trying to
>>> run firefox in virtualBox, but on the desktop.
>>>> ?I just found that xulrunner-1.9.1.9-1.fc12 was
>>> installed at the same time as the new firefox so I suspect
>>> the problem is between firefox and xulrunner.
>>>
>>> I think the problem here is VirtualBox.
>>
>>
>> OK, I will try to remove VirtualBox, if I can figure out how
>>
>>
>>
>>>> ?I don't know what to try next. I have been using fc12
>>> for a long time successfully for quite a while Any help or
>>> advice would be appreciated.
>>>
>>> Is it possible for you to check if XPCOM files related from
>>> VirtualBox
>>> conflict with Firefox/xulrunner ones?. Maybe something not
>>> compatible
>>> from VirtualBox is loaded instead of the right one.
>>
>> I will see what I can figure out about the related files
>>
>>>
>>> HTH,
>>>
>>> David
>>>
>>>
>>
>>>
>>> Message: 13
>>> Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2010 14:20:42 -0700
>>> From: suvayu ali <fatkasuvayu+linux at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: Re: New Firefox Won't run
>>> To: Community support for Fedora users <users at lists.fedoraproject.org>
>>> Message-ID:
>>>     <x2gfe3123491004011420o703df7bkad7c5b3dcfde3c12 at mail.gmail.com>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>>>
>>> On 1 April 2010 12:13, David Garc?a Granda <dgranda at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>> Hi Don,
>>>>
>>>>> Yesterday I updated to kernel 2.6.32.9.70 fc12 and
>>> to firefox-3.5.9-1.fc12 and now firefox won't start. I get a
>>> notice in the bottom bar for a few seconds and then it goes
>>> blank.
>>>>
>>>> Strange, I have the same package versions and firefox
>>> runs fine...
>>>>
>>>>> I tried starting firefox in a terminal and it
>>> returned "can't load XPCOM"
>>>>> I tried 'locate XPCOM' and it returned some files
>>> in /usr/lib/VirtualBox and
>>> /usr/lib/xulrunner-1.9.1/modules/XPCOMUtils.jsm
>>>>
>>>> Uhmmm... I don't have virtualbox installed, so this
>>> can make the difference.
>>>>
>>>>> I have VirtualBox installed, but I am not trying
>>> to run firefox in virtualBox, but on the desktop.
>>>>> ?I just found that xulrunner-1.9.1.9-1.fc12 was
>>> installed at the same time as the new firefox so I suspect
>>> the problem is between firefox and xulrunner.
>>>>
>>>> I think the problem here is VirtualBox.
>>>>
>>>
>>> It is improper methodology to start blaming other "most
>>> unlikely"
>>> packages before going through the proper troubleshooting
>>> steps. I
>>> don't have VBox installed and that file is there in my
>>> system.
>>> xulrunner is what firefox uses for all of its UI and
>>> configuration.
>>> (at least that is what I know)
>>>
>>> $ yum deplist firefox | grep xul
>>>    provider: xulrunner.x86_64
>>> 1.9.1-0.20.beta4.fc11
>>>    provider: xulrunner.x86_64
>>> 1.9.1.9-1.fc11
>>>   dependency: libxul.so()(64bit)
>>>    provider: xulrunner.x86_64
>>> 1.9.1-0.20.beta4.fc11
>>>    provider: xulrunner.x86_64
>>> 1.9.1.9-1.fc11
>>>   dependency: xulrunner >= 1.9.1.9
>>>    provider: xulrunner.x86_64
>>> 1.9.1.9-1.fc11
>>>    provider: xulrunner.i586 1.9.1.9-1.fc11
>>>    provider: xulrunner.x86_64
>>> 1.9.1-0.20.beta4.fc11
>>>    provider: xulrunner.x86_64
>>> 1.9.1.9-1.fc11
>>>   dependency: libxul.so()(64bit)
>>>    provider: xulrunner.x86_64
>>> 1.9.1-0.20.beta4.fc11
>>>    provider: xulrunner.x86_64
>>> 1.9.1.9-1.fc11
>>>    provider: xulrunner.x86_64
>>> 1.9.1-0.20.beta4.fc11
>>>    provider: xulrunner.i586
>>> 1.9.1-0.20.beta4.fc11
>>>
>>>>> ?I don't know what to try next. I have been using
>>> fc12 for a long time successfully for quite a while Any help
>>> or advice would be appreciated.
>>>>
>>>> Is it possible for you to check if XPCOM files related
>>> from VirtualBox
>>>> conflict with Firefox/xulrunner ones?. Maybe something
>>> not compatible
>>>> from VirtualBox is loaded instead of the right one.
>>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> The OP should first try
>>> 1. starting firefox in safe mode `firefox -safe-mode' and
>>> see whether
>>> any of the add-ons are to blame.
>>
>> Did that - no change
>>
>>> 2. If that doesn't work, try looking for unreleased lock
>>> files for firefox.
>>>
>>> $ cd ~/.mozilla
>>> $ find -type f -name '*lock'
>>>
>>> If any are found delete them and try again.
>>
>> found .parentlock files in each profile. Deleted them and got the same result ( unable to load XPCOM)
>>  3. If none of the above works try creating a new user and
>>> start firefox there.
>>
>> Created a new user and opened a terminal to run firefox again "unable to load XPCOM"
>>>
>>> And finally if none of the above work appeal to the
>>> collective
>>> knowledge of the list with the results from the above.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> OK I will attack VirtualBox to see if I can glean any info about dependencies and the look at removing it
>>
>>
>>
> I have VirtualBox installed and am having no problems with Firefox.

Uhmmm... this may point us to some misconfiguration on Don's
environment. Let's try with the following:

1.- Did you try strace (strace -o strace.log firefox)?. If not, please
do it and post trace output file (strace.log in the example mentioned)
for inspection.

2.- Which architecture are you running (i686, x86_64)?. Do you have
mixed libraries?

3.- Can you paste the content of configuration files stored under /etc/gre.d/?

Regards,

David